Pyrargyrite - German classic, 1860 vintage
stock #AX-24-514
Sampson Mine, St. Andreasberg, Harz Mountains
Lower Saxony,
Germany
9.3 x 5.2 x 3.1 CM (cabinet)
price: $2950
new year 2021
A superb cabinet sized display specimen of Pyrargyrite crystals in clusters on all sides of the matrix. An antique specimen of "Ruby Silver" from the Sampson Mine in the legendary St. Andreasberg area of the Harz mountains. Most crystals are very lustrous, sharp and show several typical habits. The Pyrargyrite is in both clusters and as isolated prisms, many showing the hexagonal cross section. In excellent condition, the color is however the typical dark silvery black of antique German specimens of this vintage, though with very strong light some of the red color highlights can still be seen. This specimen despite being in collections for over a century and half is in very fine undamaged condition. Ex. Bernbach collection, this is a better in person and certainly the best classic locale Pyrargyrite we have ever offered online.
A German classic specimen covered on all faces with very tiny crystals and crusts of Erythrite. This is the type locality for the mineral though it is not very common there. The underlying matrix is a heavy Cobalt rich mass that probably is Skutterudite or similar since some tiny cubic shapes can be made out under the crusts. A rich "Cobalt bloom" specimen that has some nice sparkle under strong lighting.
Silver - classic locality
stock #20.1-095
Himmelsfurst Mine, Brand Erbisdorf, Freiberg district, Erzgebirge
Saxony,
Germany
8.4 x 3.4 x .5 CM (cabinet)
price: $1250
new year 2021
A long, slender tapering wire Silver from the classic Himmelsfurst Mine. The wire if straightened out would be roughly 18 CM long which is sizable for one of these. Very slender overall, at the very end it is just .2 MM thick while at the base it is about 3mm. there is a bifurcation in the lower section that is rather unusual. Nice patina throughout.
A rich nearly pure mass of small crystals of what once called Smaltite with several zones of earthy purplish Erythrite and a powdery pink mineral that seems to be Bieberite but is not analized. The specimen comes with an old Neree Boubee (Paris, France) label and one from the John Marshall collection. An old collection numbers and handwritten labels are also attached to the underside but are not visible on display. In very good condition with the many cubic Skutterudite crystals in stacks and aligned groups.
Gypsum v. Selenite - twinned, classic
stock #15.1-1023- (CN353)
Eisleben, Mansfeld Basin
Saxony,
Germany
12 x 4.9 x 4.2 CM (cabinet)
price: $750
new year 2021
Large and with textbook perfect form, this is a killer old German Selenite ex. Lazard Cahn, Charles Noll and others. Lazard Cahn (1865-1940) had a long and highly regarded career as a mineral collector and dealer. His label is vintage 1908-1940, the mine itself is even older, type locale for two species and a classic locale by any definition. The Gypsum is fully transparent, sharp and internal structures and clouds can be clearly seen inside. From some angles the internal structures seem to show a phantom but it is faint. The main crystal twin is doubly terminated and looks fine from any angle but the second photo shows the best view in my opinion.
Free-standing crystals of reddish-brown Pyromorphite cover the top of this matrix like a forest. An older Bad Ems specimen (Germany) this is in remarkable condition. Despite the obvious delicate nature of these slender crystals most are in perfect condition, what damage exists is small and not distracting as seen. While the largest crystals are the focal point, the matrix also holds dozens of tiny needle-like crystals with bright luster so the whole sparkles in good light. A choice piece for any sort of collection but especially for a Pyromorphite suite or classic German array.
Native Silver (Sheet form)
stock #15.1-457
Eisleben, Mansfeld Basin
Saxony- Anhalt,
Germany
7.6 x 2.6 x 1.9 CM (cabinet)
price: $120
One of the more odd forms of Silver are these thin sheets, almost like a Silver foil found in narrow seams of Slate. Very old material, these were mostly extracted in the early 1900's, the locality is a German classic. The Slate matrix is Copper bearing which is an unusual host for Silver anyplace. The Silver leaf is partly peeling from the matrix and shows the delicate form, being under .05MM thick.
From the Idar Oberstien area that is famed for its Basalt flow minerals most notably fine Agates. This is a delicate and sharply formed replacment of a flowerlike spray of Glauberite bladed crystals enclosing a vug. All the Glauberite are now replaced by Quartz with the inner part showing a zone of Amethyst fingers. Some fingers show the hollow void where the Glauberite crystals had been. An older specimen ex Ruth Palmer and William Hladysz collections. This is a bit similar to some New Jersey (USA) casts often seen with Prehnite replacing Anhydrite.
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