July, 1966 issue of Lapidary Journal, featuring Johnston Island red coral on the cover.
The cover image (and footer image of this site) was photographed by a Mr. Gene Pogoda, who lived somewhere in the Hawaiian Islands at the time of publishing.
Below is a typing of the article titled 'About Our Cover: Johnston Island Red Coral' by an L.D. Jarrard, pg 562
One can well imagine the plight of a converted rockhound when moved from the Wyoming jade country to a tropical South Seas islands, particularly to one nearly devoid of lush growth and white sandy beaches and absolutely without any representatives of the fairer sex. "No women," was a commonly voiced complaint and to this was added "no rocks" by the few rockhounds on the island. Since there were to be no field trips for jade, agate, etc., the next best thing was skin diving and shell collecting.
For some time I had seen a few small sprays and pieces of bright red coral-like growths collected by by the few hardy souls venturing into the waters lying outside of our tranquil lagoon. These small occurrences were not associated with the possibility of larger and more brilliantly colored growths lying in deeper water. Finally, however, the discovery was made that the larger and brilliant crimson sprays could be found in the large coral caves lying outside of the protective reef. These are found growing upside down from the roofs of the cavernous common white coral-heads and occupy the same space preferred by the vicious moray eel, which in this latitude often grows to 30 or 40 pounds. To obtain the red coral sprays, it is necessary to be sure that no eels are occupying your cave and that no sharks are lurking outside. Armed with a pinchbar and light and equipped with good lung capacity, the sprays can be located and barred loose from the over-hanging rock. Care is necessary since the delicate branches can be very easily damaged, and often are.
To clean the white coral adhering to the base of the red sprays, it is necessary to wash with warm salt water and then to soak the base in a solution of Clorox. This treatment bleaches and de-odorizes as well, and sine the red color goes through the branches, there is no effect on the color. The red material is quite dense and takes an excellent polish though so far we prefer to leave the larger fans or sprays, those from three or five or more inches, in the natural state and to view as specimens. The smaller growths can be broken, and often are in gathering, and shaped and polished as desired. All of our work thus far has been to shape by filing and polishing by hand with well worn 600 grit wet-or-dry cloth or paper. Power tools have been tried but our preference is hand work since a little carelessness can result in overheating coral and badly discoloring the work.
Although pink to light red material has been found at Kwajalein Atoll and Eniwetok, this Johnston Island area produces the more brilliant crimson color and in larger individual sprays. Occasionally colonies are located where a number of fans are found close together and it is then advisable to take the group as one specimen. I have seen and had one specimen of dark blue coral, identical to the red except for color, that was obtained in the Tahiti area, but since my business does not extend that far south, I cannot vouch for the amount of this color that may be found.
