A fine classic and very old specimen, ex Lechner collection (Austria) to Schortmann’s Minerals, Al Sebella, Larry Conklin and John Marshall. The Lechner number dates this to before the first world war, Moravia was a "crown land" under Bohemia until 1918. Early localities and specimens from there had German names (this piece does) later replaced by Czech place names. This has large lustrous terminated Epidotes on a mass of Prehnite crystals. The longest Epidote is 5.3 CM. This is in very good condition overall, the only damage is noted on the bottom of the specimen where it had been attached.
This is an exceptionally fine specimen from this region, and it is certainly quite old. The Moritz Lechner collection was begun in the later 1800s and absorbed many much older collections, mostly classic European minerals. His son inherited the collection much of which was eventually sold to the Schortmann’s and be came at that time the most important source of European minerals in the USA. The address on the Schortmann label gives this a date of about 1936. The specimen retains the original Lechner number but not the label. In the prewar depression years the price of 10.00 was a huge sum of money, this was considered a superb specimen. It is still a significant piece and to my eye equal or superior to any from this area we have seen in European museums.
