Acanthite
stock #AX-22-175
San Juan de Rayas Mine - Level 407
Guanajuato,
Mexico
2.2 x 1.3 x .6 CM (thumbnail)
price: $140
new year 2021
Branching crystals of Acanthite forming a tree-like thumbnail with very bright metallic luster. Complete all around, undamaged and pretty. A very good yet still affordable Silver specie from the famed Guanajuato deposit. This area has been continuously mined for Silver since the discovery in 1585, and this was the world's largest producer for many years. Amazingly there are still a few operating mines and Silver minerals are still found though far less than before.
Fluorite
stock #AX-32-234
Cantera Llamas, Duyos, Caravia
Asturias,
Spain
2.7 x 1.6 x 1.8 CM (thumbnail)
price: $160
Transparent violet Fluorite with an unusual edge modification that is only seen on two adjacent edges. A nice looking thumbnail with some light face frosting and no damage, this is a fine example for the habit and locality. Cubes with edge modifications are not very unusual BUT a cube with just one or two edges beveled is quite uncommon. There are no corner modifications either, simply some edges are cleanly beveled. Even without the odd crystallography this is a nice thumbnail.
An American classic. The most desirable of the famed "Eden Mills" garnets are the gemmy red-orange crystals on contrasting green Diopside crystals. This legendary quarry has been closed for decades, this style of Grossular is unique to the lower reaches of the site, it is quite different from anyplace else on earth. This is an especially cute thumbnail the small Garnet is an inter-grown trio of crystals that contrasts well with the matrix. In fine condition damage-wise by naked eye but with good magnification a chip is seen. Not for perfectionists but that keeps the cost well below normal market for a specimen of this sort.
Anglesite - gemmy crystals
stock #20.1-291
Touissit, Touissit-Bou Beker Dist., Jerada Province
Oriental Region,
Morocco
1.7 x 1.1 x .8 CM (thumbnail)
price: $90
A cute thumbnail of light yellow Anglesite crystals in a slightly radiating cluster. These are transparent, glassy and sharp, this is also fluorescent an orange-red in long wave UV. The color is fully natural, some Anglesites were color enhanced in Morocco by dipping into a chlorine bleach. The results were deeper color but also an odd luster, this one is completely real. In good condition, all the terminations are perfect, there is contact/roughness on some of the lower sides only. Touissit has been closed for decades now but it was once a magnificent locale for fine lead secondaries.
Rhodochrosite with Quartz
stock #10.1-194
Wutong Mine, Liubao, Cangwu Co. Wuzoh Pref.
Guangxi Province,
China
2 x 1.6 x .8 CM (thumbnail)
price: $155
Spring 2020
Small, but very cute, cluster of sharp and slightly-etched Rhodochrosite rhombs. Several faces show complex stepped modifications that add extra pop. Aside from a tiny spray of Quartz crystals, there is no matrix, just Rhodochrosite. This thumbnail from an important find at Wuzoh in 2009, this was one of the last of this form, as most later pockets have more flattened and disk-like crystals. Nice color, form and presentation, if this was larger, it would be a very costly specimen!
Rose Quartz (classic style, Maine)
stock #13.1-399
Dunton Quarry, Newry, Oxford County
Maine,
United States
3.1 x 2.2 x 1.7 CM (thumbnail)
price: $320
Spring 2020
A super choice thumbnail (just barely fits the specs) with fine form, color and luster. From Newry, the Rose Quartz is in ball like clusters and seems to have formed on an earlier colorless Quartz druse. Looks fine from several angles, the condition is excellent, undamaged. While massive Rose Quartz is rather common, it is surprising how few good crystalized R Q specimens are found worldwide, most finds seem to be very small.
Amethyst- conjoined scepters
stock #17.1-663
Orange River, Namakwa
Karas Region,
Namibia
2.1 x 1.4 x 1 CM (thumbnail)
price: $135
Spring 2020
A sweet thumbnail of sharp transparent Amethyst scepters that share a single stem. Both crystals show a double termination and grade to colorless lower down. From a find a few years ago at Orange River (Namibia), there were not many of these. In fine condition as seen, and a bit nicer in person too.
Hematite with Rutile
stock #20.1-164
Cavradi gorge, Tujetsch, Surselva Region
Graubunden,
Switzerland
3 x 1.7 x 1.4 CM (thumbnail)
price: $140
Spring 2020
Swiss Hematite with very well formed blades standing on minimal matrix. A close exam shows some tiny but brilliant red Rutile crystals on some faces. A nicely composed thumbnail (or toenail) that looks good from both sides. In excellent condition, a very lustrous and classic Alpine specimen. This specimen was originally labeled as from St Gotthard, but we are assured this habit with the epitaxial Rutile is unquestionably from Cavradi and is distinctive for the Cavradi Gorge.
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