Superb specimen from the old discoveries at Saint Pons (France). Zinkenite from France is highly regarded and only the newer find in Bolivia about 20 years ago was of the same caliber. This specimen is outstanding for the specie and the locality. Crystals to about 3 CM in length show bright metallic luster and contrast well with the golden Siderite crystals. This association was only found (to my knowledge) in the St Pons discovery. The style, habit and look of these specimens is unlike any others. Such specimens are almost never available and only come from old collections or museum trades which are now very rare. This is the best St Pons Zinkenite I have seen for sale.
Stolzites from the famed find at St. Lucie Mine in the 1990 era were instant classics. These were (and are today) the world's largest crystals, and all are primary Stolzite (not pseudomorphs). There were only a handful of complete crystals like this, with the edge termination complete all around and no damage. Most in the find were a colorless to pale yellow, this bright orange color is exceptionally rare in the find. Stolzite is found as micro crystals in several localities, it is a fairly rare Lead secondary that can look like Wulfenite but has Tungsten instead of Molybdenum. The pocket found at St Lucie was an extraordinary discovery. The crystals were mostly tabular like a typical Wulfenite habit but with stepped edges and a somewhat etched surface. These are now only available from old collections and this orange color is just never seen. A modern classic and a killer thumbnail.
Fluorite - vivid red Alpine
stock #23.FC-087
Pointe Kurtz, Mt Blanc region, Chamonix, Benneville,
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
5.1 x 4.7 x 1.9 CM (miniature)
price: $3800
Early summer 2023
A rare and super impressive dark raspberry-red Fluorite from the high Alps. This rich color is incredibly rare and this is a fine example that looks much like a Rhodochrosite from a distance. This piece has minimal Quartz matrix and is mostly all Fluorite, it is fully translucent and will glow a deep red-pink with backlighting. These photos are not backlit so they show typical display conditions for this piece. These octahedral crystals are slightly frosted and have a wet look. These are mostly over 1 CM across in a tightly clustered grouping. From the find at Pointe Kurtz above Chamonix (French Alps), very few had this deep color, most were a typical pale pink. In very good condition, even though there are some small typical rough spots as usual in these clefts. As seen in the photos this is minor and not distracting. Overall an excellent display worthy specimen. The Pointe Kurtz is near the summit of Aguille Rouge in the Mt Blanc zone with an elevation of 3680 meters though the Fluorite was found a bit below that height. Collecting in this region is incredibly technical and requires impressive dedication as well as excellent mountaineering skills. Such specimens are the rare rewards.
Fluorite - pink Alpine
stock #23.FC-083
Lassner-Meissner, Chamonix, Bonneville
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
2.6 x 2.6 x 1.4 CM (thumbnail)
price: $850
Spring 23
A sharp classic habit French Alpine Fluorite with excellent color and no damage. This crystal grew against a matrix (typical in this type) but it was long ago naturally detached and has since recrystallized on the contact areas. As a result this is a floater, it is crystalized or rehealed on all sides, something very rare from Alpine cleft Fluorites. From a less well-known find years ago in the Mt Blanc Region, this is translucent to transparent, has very good luster and with perfect edges and corners.
Fluorite - classic pink Alpine
stock #23.FC-085
Les Courtes,Chamonix, Bonneville
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
3.5 x 3.3 x 3.2 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $2200
Spring 23
A choice and sizable single crystal of well-formed Fluorite having deep pink-red color and lightly stepped faces which gives a frosted texture on some parts. Over all in fine condition, only the underside has some contact/cleaving not seen from the front display. This from the Les Courtes Mountain which lies between the Argentière and the Talèfre Glaciers in the heart of the classic Mont Blanc Fluorite zone. This locality is not so well-known and rarely visited; it is a very demanding technical assent. A few finds of Alpine Quartz put the location on the mineral map but almost no records of Fluorite. Not only an attractive crystal, this is a very rare locality almost never available.
Fluorite on Quartz
stock #23.FC-003
Les Beix Mine, Riom, Puy-de-Dome
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
5 x 4.4 x 2.8 CM (miniature)
price: $660
Spring 23
Fine blue cubes clustered on a contrasting light yellow matrix makes a pleasing contrast. An excellent French Fluorite in excellent condition, the faces of the cubes have a slightly satin luster. The interiors of the cubes are translucent, milky and glow very well when backlit (these photos are not backlit). Les Beix is a modern classic locality with a great reputation for its wide range of Fluorite, the blue being the most sought-after. The mine flooded forever in 1977, these better quality Fluorites have become quite rare on the market.
Siderite and Quartz - French classic
stock #16.1-211
Allevard, Grenoble, Isère
Rhône-Alpes,
France
11.3 x 8.4 x 6.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $1750
Spring 23
Large and fine crystals of translucent greenish-brown Siderite sprinkled with glass clear Quartz crystals. A European classic in excellent condition. This is a super quality older specimen formerly in the collections of Charles Noll, Jimmie DuFoe and the Seaman Museum. It seems to have come from other older collections, it has a painted collection number and an antique museum type drilled mounting hole on the backside. A very choice display grade piece with crystals over 4.4 CM in outstanding condition. Allevard is an ancient mining area (dating back to the 1500's) it was once the greatest source of world-class Siderites and is one of the great French classic locales. This specimen shows that quality well.
Pyromorphite
stock #21.FC-034
Saint- Salvy Mine, Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme, Tarn
Occitanie,
France
8 x 7.2 x 5.5 CM (cabinet)
price: $420
Spring 23
Classic French Pyromorphite with good coverage, color and sharp acicular crystals. This large matrix has both vugs and surface coverings of green Pyromorphite on all sides, the red-brown matrix makes a good contrast with the spiky green Pyros. In fine condition and with at least two different habits of crystals, the majority being the pointed termination type.
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