Elbaite - unusual California tourmaline color
stock #AX-7-181-(144)
Himalaya Mine, Gem Hill,Mesa Grande District, San Diego County
California,
United States
2.7 x 1.2 x 1.1 CM (thumbnail)
price: $640
Spring 23
A sharp and unusual gem Tourmaline from old finds at the famed Himalaya Mine. Ex Larry White collection, which he obtained in 1964 with two other Himalaya Tourmalines, but this was the only one with this color. We usually see the pinks and some yellow-greens but this mint green to bluish color is very uncommon. The condition is excellent, the termination complete and with fine transparency, this is nearly all facet grade Tourmaline. Better in person.
Mercurian Tetrahedrite - var. Schwazite
stock #16.1-716
Brixlegg, Schwatz area, Inn Valley, North Tyrol
Tyrol,
Austria
7 x 5.1 x 4.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $390
Spring 23
Schwazite is the old name for this rare Mercury-rich Tetrahedrite, from the classic type locality of Schwaz (Austria). This is a well-crystalized specimen of the variety, something almost never seen in the market. Most of the large crystals are in very good condition, though there is some broken bits as seen but minor and forgivable in this fragile specie. The biggest crystal is large for the variety at 1.6 CM across most others are about 1 CM. Recently the name for this specie is proposed to become Tetrahedrite Hg, but for now and for over 100 years it has been Schwazite. Classic, rare and far better than average.
Barite (Baryte) - classic British
stock #21.1-293
Frizington, West Cumberland Iron Field
Cumberland, Cumbria,
England
5.2 x 1.8 x 1 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $550
Spring 23
A sharp and lustrous single crystal of yellow-green Barite from the famed Frizington area (Cumbria, England). This area consists of several mines for both Iron and coal which were worked for centuries. Great Barites were being collected and traded worldwide by the late 1700 era. These are now classics in the mineral world. The yellow color was best known from the Parkside Mine but it was found in several other workings as well. This specimen does not have a mine specified for it (that detail was very rarely provided long ago when these were found, in recent times many old pieces were given mine attributions, often these are guesses). No matter the exact shaft this come up from, the crystal is in excellent condition, mostly gem clear, classic in form and far better in person.
Goethite - unusual locality, Chinese
stock #7.AE-486
Nanping, Hechi prefecture
Guangxi Province,
China
16.7 x 10.4 x 8.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $440
Spring 23
Large cabinet sized cluster of stalactitic Goethite in a sculptural three dimensional array. In very good condition, this looks fine on all sides, there is a noticeable iridescence in some places and a matte sheen overall. This is an early specimen found over 20 years ago in one of the early waves of Chinese minerals to be exported. Unusual esthetics and presentation. There is nothing like this now in the Chinese mineral market.
Hopeite - modern classic
stock #23.FC-06
Broken Hill (Kabwe Mine) Kabwe District
Central Province,
Zambia
9.6 x 5.4 x 5.1 CM (cabinet)
price: $790
Spring 23
A very large, well-crystalized specimen of this rare hydrous Zinc Phosphate. All sides of this specimen are encrusted with rust-red color orthorhombic crystals, most of which have distinct form and are coated with a sparkling druse of tiny crystals that seem to be a second generation of transparent colorless Hopeite. This locality had produced the very best of this specie most of which were found when Zambia was still called Rhodesia. No new finds are reported, these classic specimens are only available from older collections.
Outstanding color and luster, a super example of this famed find made about 13 years ago. We are told the locality flooded shortly after and no further work was possible. The top surface is densely covered with sharp Pyromorphites on a vivid green carpet of Malachite. Most pieces from this locale are quite flat, but this has a fine three dimensional presentation and is in perfect, undamaged condition. A modern classic locality, for several decades the Rum Jungle area had produced some fine Lead and Copper specimens. However this particular find is considered the best ever, and sadly was the last.
SOLD Vanadinite crystals on Nerinea (Snail) fossil
stock #SOLD 23.FC-024
Mibladen Mine, Upper Moulouya lead district, Midelt, Khenifra Province
Draa-Tafilalet Region,
Morocco
6.7 x 2.3 x 2 CM (cabinet)
price: $0
Spring 23
An incredible Vanadinite. This remarkable specimen is one of the very best from a single small find in 2022. The matrix is a complete elongated snail fossil with clusters of bright red, sizable Vanadinite crystals perched mostly on the tip area. The amazing mines at Mibladen are certainly the world’s best localities for this specie, and the huge quantity of production is amazing. However among tens of thousands of pieces extracted over the past decades, no fossils hosting good Vanadinites like this have ever been seen. We are only aware of a few pieces found two years ago with tiny druses on some marine fossils but those were micro-sized crystals. The Snail hosting these bright red crystals is complete and undamaged. Even in a collection with many Vanadinites this would be really different and a fine fusion of Mineralogy and Paleontology.
Vanadinite crystals on Pholadaomia (Clam) fossil
stock #23.FC-021
Mibladen Mine, Upper Moulouya lead district, Midelt, Khenifra Province
Draa-Tafilalet Region,
Morocco
6 x 4.4 x 4.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $950
Spring 23
An incredible Vanadinite. This remarkable specimen from a very small find in 2022, the matrix is a complete Clam fossil with clusters of bright red Vanadinite crystals. The amazing mines at Mibladen are certainly the world’s best localities for this specie, and the quantity of production is amazing. Among tens of thousands of pieces extracted over the past decades no fossils hosting good Vanadinites like this have ever been seen. We are only aware of a few pieces found two years ago with tiny druses on some marine fossils but those were micro-sized crystals. In excellent condition and complete on all sides.
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