A well-positioned Zircon crystal dominates this thumbnail specimen from Bancroft, Canada. The Zircon from this locality are variety Cyrtolite and this specimen has a very well-formed red- brown crystal that is perfectly exposed and is doubly terminated. Ex Hitchings collection obtained in 1969. Slightly translucent the crystal is not damaged but on the backside is some contacting not seen from any display angle.
Diopside, Biotite
stock #13.1-364
Birds Creek (McFall Lake), Herschel Township, Hastings Highlands Municip
Ontario,
Canada
5.1 x 4.3 x 3.2 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $350
Spring 23
Well-defined, lustrous Diopside crystal up to about 2 CM in a cluster with almost no matrix, just minor Biotite. An older specimen 1960 vintage from the Ruth and Andy Palmer and, also, the William Hladysz collections. The crystals look dark green in normal lighting but with backlight they are translucent and show a bright yellow-green hue. Attractive and in fine condition, it looks similar to classic Dekalb New York specimens, but is from the Bancroft area. This is one of the best we have seen from the area.
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!
Apatite CaF on Calcite - classic Canadian
stock #21.1-354
Faraday Mine, Farady Township, Bancroft District, Hastings County
Ontario,
Canada
9.1 x 5.4 x 2.9 CM (cabinet)
price: $380
Late Summer 2021
A fine, large doubly terminated Apatite crystal sits on an orange Calcite matrix. The Apatite is well-formed with the typical slightly rounded edges and two different types of termination. Fluorapatites are fairly common in the scattered Skarns of this region but substantial crystals like this are not found very often. There are some minor contacts but overall this is a distinctive textbook form crystal with some areas of glassy luster. A modern classic.
Fluorite - multi-colored cuboctahedron
stock #21.1-287
Madoc, Centre Hastings, Hastings County
Ontario,
Canada
3.7 x 2.7 x 2.3 CM (miniature)
price: $450
Late Summer 2021
The Madoc area of Ontario, Canada is well-known for unusual Fluorites, some of the best in all of Canada. This specimen has an unusual mix of colors which also vary depending on the light source from a yellowish to green and orange to an unusual pinkish hue. It seems there are inclusions on some internal planes that add color and help to refract light. Some faces are slightly frosted but others are very lustrous, the edges are very sharp and the whole is transparent to translucent. The bottom is contacted but the crystal above that zone has very nice form. These better Canadian Fluorites are not available for sale very often, this was collected more than 20 years ago. It is still possible to find Fluorite in this area but good pieces are very rare.
Silver - wires with Quartz
stock #AC-379
Cobalt, Gowganda region, Timiskaming District
Ontario,
Canada
6.9 x 5.9 x 4.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $760
Spring 2020
Silver wires with tiny Quartz crystals coating and encasing some of the Silver. From the prolific Cobalt area this specimen is fairly old, it was sold by the Schortmann Brothers in the early 1960 era. The Quartz undermagnification is a sparkling druze of doubly terminated crystals many of which have a Cumberland habit. Close exam of the matrix shows that there is a lot more silver unclosed under layers of Quartz. The exposed area of wires is a dense nest with a few slender hairs rising to about 3 CM long. A choice, delicate and esthetic piece which looks better the more it is examined.
Apatite- gem clear in Calcite
stock #19.1-290
Liscombe Deposit, Monmputh, Haliburton County
Ontario,
Canada
3.2 x 2.4 x 1.4 CM (thumbnail)
price: $330
A killer thumbnail from the Liscombe Deposit in Ontario, Canada which in the seventies produced a few exceptional gem Apatites. Some of the best were in a contrasting light pink Calcite. This is a small, perfect example, doubly terminated (the terminations are typically a little rounded as seen) and fully transparent. The faces have a bright glassy luster and the color is vibrant. This does fit in a thumbnail box and is in perfect condition, unrepaired and better in person.
Fluorite on Barite
stock #10.1-011B
Madoc, Centre Hastings, Hastings County
Ontario,
Canada
4.5 x 3.6 CM (miniature)
price: $180
Spring update
A very attractive miniature specimen with the main Flourite of 2 CM perched on top of a Barite matrix. Pristine on the display face but contacted on the back side, this is a very well formed Fluorite from an important Canadian location.
.jpg)
