Barite on Quartz
stock #5.1-120.3
Jinkouhe town, Ebian
Sichuan,
China
6.8 x 4.5 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $300
Nice form and composition with a pleasing color contrast. The Jinkouhe locality in Ebian has produced tons of Barite often well crystallized. Sadly most of this fine Barite is pure white sitting on pure white quartz and there is little distinctive esthetics or contrast. A few rare colored pieces have been found from time to time, this is a good one. A rich yellow zone in the Barite makes a fine contrast to the gemmy clear quartz crystals. The main quartz are undamaged and sharp but the matrix has some broken stubs that are not distracting. The Barite is complete and grown arround the quartz to encase it. It sits and displays well. There is minor edge rubs on the Barite and contacts on the back, but this is stilla very cute and esthetic arrangement.
Tourmaline (elbaite) with hollow termination
stock #8 DK -092
Palo Alto, San Diego Co.
California,
United States
3.4 x 2.6 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $700
From the classic California pegmatites this is a very different and remarkable tourmaline! The bi color crystal is sharp, glassy has some "cats eye" fibers and a lot of gem clear areas. However what makes this exceptional is the central hole in the center of the termination. This hole is roughly triangular in cross section, like the exterior of the crystal. Furthermore, it is striated on the inside and runs thru more than half of the crystal before it ends at a "negative termination" . The crystal has some very nice color, minimal damage (not eye visible) but the hoppered area is what makes this really impressive. Good for any gem crystal collection or as a conversation piece.
Chrysoberyl (Twinned)
stock #8 BRA-691
Espirito Santo
,
Brazil
3.6 x 3.3 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $800
A very fine prismatic central prism is joined by 2 other smaller "wing" crystals forming one half of the classic sixling twin. The crystals are all glassy yellow-green and gemmy with many inclusions. The central crystal is big at 3.3 CM in size and has minimal damage on the display side. The back of the specimen is contacted and broken but it is not in view from the display side. This is a good piece showing lots of form and character!
Afghanite
stock #8 AFG- 742
Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley
Nuristan,
Afganistan
5 x 4 CM (miniature)
price: $165
A sharp, deep blue terminated Afghanite sits on the top of a calcite matrix (FL). The Afghanite crystal is 2 CM long and 1.6 CM wide, it is broken in the back but the presenting side is undamaged. There are two other broken crystal frangments in the matrix. A nice example and a well presented termination of this once uncommon mineral.
Pakistani Sphene showing excellent color and form in a very attractive matrix with sizable calcite crystals, mucovite and adularia. Twinning is seen in most Sphene. There is some chipping evident on crystals that can be minimized by display angle, otherwise clean. A good alpine cleft assemblage that is quite attractive.
SOLD Titanite v. Sphene
stock #sold 8 DK-002
Capelinha
Minas Gerais,
Brazil
7.1 x 4.2 (cabinet)
price: $0
Sharp. lustreous and damage free the largest Sphene is 3.7 CM long. All larger crystals are twinned, estheticaly placed on the matrix and have top deep green color. The matrix itself is a carpet of sparkling micro crystals of Epidote, Clinozoisite and Titanite. This is fine specimen by any standard and this locality has not produced much of note for many years. Could be trimmed to a competition grade miniature but I like it as is.
Silver with Rhodochrosite
stock #8.1-278
Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon Province
Lima Department,
Peru
5.6 x 4.2 x 4.3 CM (miniature)
price: $1350
From a find about 20 years ago, this is a very striking example of well formed Silver growing from a Quartz and Rhodochrosite vug. Super esthetic, undamaged and with excellent contrast this is a very fine Silver example. Several wires over 2 CM long and relatively thick are complexly crystallized. One single sharply terminated Silver crystal is protruding 9mm from the quartz with spearlike form. The Rhodos are a series of stacked tiny rhombohedra and add a further contrast and a very special association. An old Dave Bunk label has a 1500.00 price tag on it, it is a fine specimen.
The Xuebaoding Aquamarines are distinctive and have become rather common on the market, but good ones are much less common. This is a good example with deeper than average color and distinct sharp form. The single gem crystal is well placed esthetically on the matrix. As a bonus the dark area on the right includes a zone of redissolved Cassiterite, an unidentified green mineral similar to Mushingtonite, and an unknown Silver metalic mineral. As this location is not able to produce at this time, these will be harder to get and are still a remarkable bargain.
