Diopside with minor Calcite
stock #22.1-450
Miller Property, Sebastopol, Renfrew County
Ontario,
Canada
5.4 x 2.9 x 2.7 CM (cabinet)
price: $320
Fall 22
A super well-formed Diopside ex. John Rodger Mitchell collection. From the prolific and incredible Skarn deposits of the Renfrew area in Ontario, this is an exceptionally choice specimen with a deep oil-green color and wet luster. A smaller side crystal is also well terminated but is contacted and incomplete on the bottom end. Overall this is in very good condition as seen, far better than any other examples we have come across. A pretty Pyroxene example that is on textbook form and not a typical Grenville grundge type piece, this is display worthy!
Mimetite - old find, unusual color
stock #5.1-159
Pingtouling Mine, Liannan, Sanjiang
Guangdong Province,
Chile
4.8 x 2.8x 1.7 CM (miniature)
price: $390
Fall 22
From the early finds at Pingtouling which were famous for bright yellow Mimetites, this is a deeper orange hue. The mine was flooded and collapsed more than 20 years ago, but the size and quality of these lustrous crystals helped them to become modern classics. This thumb-like matrix is covered by fine crystals on all sides, and the condition is excellent. The crystals all have a wet-look luster. These have become scarce and this color is even more uncommon.
Quartz "interference" crystal
stock #22.1-137
Dalnegorsk, Kavalerovo Mining District
Primorsky Kray,
Russia
9.3 x 2.7 x 2.6 CM (cabinet)
price: $440
Fall 22
A perfect example of so called interference Quartz. For any Quartz suite this is a fine, exotic and strange form. From Dalnegorsk a few years ago this came from a small find and this was one of the largest crystals and one of the very few that were complete and undamaged. It seems that in this location at least as the Quartz grew it had a series of thin Calcite blades on each side. The Calcite has since dissolved away but had an impact on the crystal development. The result is a remarkable stepped form in an inclined series of ridges. Unusual and certainly esthetic in a strange way!
Adamite - classic Mexican
stock #16.1-147
Mina Ojuela, Mapimi
Durango,
Mexico
6.3 x 4.7 x 4.6 CM (cabinet)
price: $950
Fall 22
A killer hemisphere of green Adamite crystals resting on a second generation of red-brown Adamite and Calcite. An older piece from Mina Ojuela which has produced so many great Adamites in a wide array of forms. One of the most sought after is the compound ball or hemisphere form. This ball is large (almost 4 CM across) with fine luster as seen. One side shows the rounded faces of the cluster of Adamite crystals that form the ball. The opposite side is completely different, it is concave to flattish with a rim of sharper more defined prismatic crystal that have extra bright luster. The Matrix is the usual gossan but well covered with sharp Adamite crystals that seem to be included by some of the Hematite giving a reddish color. The ball itself is vividly fluorescent and all is in fine condition.
Super esthetic, a brilliant and rich Rosasite specimen from the famed Mina Ojuela. An outstanding example of this colorful Copper specie. A thumb-like projection of matrix extends out of an open cavity and is thickly decorated with blue-green balls of Rosasite and sheaves of clear Hemimorphite blades with sparkling small Calcite crystals. In perfect condition the vivid color and bright luster are top shelf. Most Mina Ojuela (and other localities) Rosasites are velvety to dull in luster. This piece with the addition of the Calcite next to and on top of some Rosasites is extra bright and eye-catching in person. The matrix gives a fine contrast.
Fluorite with Chalcopyrite
stock #22.1-641
Bethel Level, Annabel Lee Mine, Ozark-Mahoning Co.
Illinois,
United States
6.8 x 6.2 x 5.6 CM (cabinet)
price: $260
Fall 22
A sharp lemon yellow Fluorite corner with light blue outer zones and included by Chalcopyrite crystals. From the last era of mining at the Annabel Lee, this has very fine luster, sharp edges and contacted only on the back. The underside is the point of removal, the display face is in quite good condition as seen. As any nice Southern Illinois Fluorites are becoming harder to find (especially at a reasonable price), this is a very good value. Better in person.
Tremolite
stock #21.1-038
North Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County
New York,
United States
3.3 x 1.6 x 1.3 CM (thumbnail)
price: $160
Fall 22
A single terminated prism of yellow-green Tremolite from the Skarns of St. Lawrence County, NY. An older specimen collected by Skylar Alverson more than 40 years ago. Skylar had several localities he mined in this region some of which he kept secret through out his lifetime. The Tremolites of this area have become famed for the size, sharpness and overall quality of the crystals. This is a choice thumbnail with good transparency and luster.
Cinnabar - fine crystals on Quartz
stock #15.1-728
Tongren Mine, Wanshan District, Tongren Prefecture
Guizhou Province,
China
5.7 x 3.6 x 3.2 CM (cabinet)
price: $490
Fall 22
Very sharp, fine dark red Cinnabar crystals on matrix the largest being a classic form twin. The main Cinnabar is nestled in a cluster of small Quartz crystals and shows bright red color highlights and luster. Ex Warren Johannson collection that he obtained this in trade from Harvard in the 1940's when these were incredibly rare mineral treasures. For years such good pieces were almost priceless. In the 1990 era as trade began with China these were then the most sought-after mineral specimens at that time, famed as the world's best and highly sought after. By 2000 however there were many Cinnabar specimens flooding out of China and they become quite affordable. Chinese Cinnabars are still the world's best and this type of sharp perfect twin is the most desirable, especially when on Quartz instead of the more usual Calcite or Dolomite. This specimen is certainly far better than average, and not priced in the high 5 figures either! Textbook perfect twin and great contrast.
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