Grossular (gem Garnet)
stock #11.1 -W63
Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos
Quebec,
Canada
7.4 x 6.9 CM (cabinet)
price: $1950
The type of incredible garnet that made the Jeffrey Mine famous. A sizable matrix specimen with dozens of sharp, gem clear crystals that reach 1.5 CM. Top color and glass-like luster. Most crystals are fully perfect with delicate striations but there is damage or contacting on some crystals with most chipping at the edges and backside. Despite that, the overall impact is outstanding, and the cost is far less than the astronomic prices that fully perfect pieces command.
Malachite (fibrous primary crystals)
stock #8.1-188
Katanga, Central Area, Katanga Coper zone
Shaba,
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
8.5 x 5.6 CM (cabinet)
price: $95
A fine, fibrous crystallized primary malachite from the prolific mines of Katanga. Excellent color, satin sheen and luster, no damage. Malachite crystals over 3 CM abound. The recent finds of this material have been well appreciated, affordable and very attractive. Not all fine minerals are expensive!
SOLD Cordierite
stock #SOLD 9.1-103
Richmond, Cheshire County
New Hampshire,
United States
7.4 x 5.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $375
A sizable, (5.7cm) crystal on matrix, this is one of two specimens we have listed in this update. From the 1970 finds at this classic Northeastern location this was collected by the late Ernie Schlicter. New Hampshire Cordierites are not often complete and few are seen for sale. Doubly terminated and with most faces well developed there are areas of crudeness and chipping as seen but relatively little for the size of this piece.
Very unusual for China, this is the only specimen I have seen of Scalenohedral Rhodos. The Wuton area has produced many fine rhombs and Flattened plate crystals but this specimen is unique. Good esthetics too, the Rhodo crystals reach 2.4 CM have rich color and are mostly complete on the facing side. There is damage to one side and rear and the matrix quartz and fluorites have some damage showing, but the display face is still very attractive. Both purple and green fluorites add some color contrast as well.
From the classic Australian finds at Moorala, this is an exceptionally fine specimen, the best I have seen. Sharp, up to 3.5 CM gem clear smokys are well perched in a line on the matrix. A few non smoky second generation quartz are present too. In great condition, there is no eye visible damage, micro chipping can be found with 10x magnification. Displays very well with glass like lustre and quite a sizable specimen for the location.
Skutterudite (large crystals on matrix)
stock #11.1-W60
Bouismas Mine, Bou Azzer District, Tazenakht
Ouarzazate Province,
Morocco
6.8 x 5.4 CM (cabinet)
price: $380
Big (up to 4.2 cm), sharp shining metallic silver crystals clustered on matrix. Esthetic with better than average presentation, this is excellent specimen of this cobalt arsenide. Without doubt the Bou Azzer area produced the very best of the specie, prior to these the best were German, rare, expensive and far less pretty. The display side of this is in excellent condition. It is contacted on the right side and has damage at the rear where it was removed, not seen in normal display. This locality still produces a few good pieces every few years but it will not last forever. These are future classics especially when they are this good.
SOLD Silver (Native wire)
stock #SOLD 11.1-W57
Huang Tong Xiang Mine, Lu Jiang Town
Anhui,
China
8 x 4.5 CM (cabinet)
price: $1650
A very delicate, well formed and highly esthetic tree like growth of silver. A very impressive piece that is sizable and one of the best I have seen from this mine. The base is a sliver of matrix and individual wires reach a thickness of 4mm as they curl upwards. There are several chunks of matrix trapped in some wires as well (probably acanthite) and hanging like fruit. Very distinctive with a fine patina and form. This small mine produced a few good silvers such as this one, very different from the more common Hongda mine specimens.
Not pretty, but a rare, huge and important old specimen. From the collection of J.C. Boyle who was the secretary of the Academy of Sciences and the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society along with such luminaries as Trudell and Vaux. Later sold by Schortmann's minerals and likely obtained from their purchases of Arthur Montgomery's stock. See the excellent article on the Pa. Brucites in Min Record. Collected in May 1926, the Lee's Mills location on the label is clearly the better known Texas, PA. locale. This huge mass of platy crystals are crude but does show many distinct faces also there is a little hydromagnesite present. I suspect a bit of careful prepping would better expose the crystals here but this is offered as a great example of a classic mineral specimen with important provenance.
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