Quartz - Hematite phantoms, doubly terminated
stock #17.1-095
Orange River, Namakwa
Karas Region,
Namibia
6.8 x 2.7 x 2.1 CM (cabinet)
price: $700
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
An exceptionally attractive Orange River Quartz with super sharp edges, glassy aces and bright zoned phantoms. The most impressive detail though is that these are two crossed doubly terminated crystals without matrix and in perfect condition. The terminations have a deeper red-orange color than the rest of the crystal which makes for a nice contrast. Orange River Quartz is found in infrequent surges, there has not been much - if any- for the past few years. A choice example of a very special Quartz discovery.
Dioptase
stock #9.1-364
Kolwezi, Katanga Copper Crescent
Katanga (Shaba),
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
9.2 x 6.2 x 3.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $750
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A rich, nearly pure Dioptase specimen with some tiny areas of Calcite and Plancheite. Well-crystalized on the display face, the individual prisms reach 8mm. The luster and color is very good. An older specimen from the Copper Crescent zone of the Congo, this came out of Kolwezi and not one of the more recent localities. The Congo Dioptase finds of the last decade or so have been incredible and are in some cases as fine as can be seen for the specie. There have been enough found that have allowed collectors to have a choice piece at a cost far lower than was available before. A good value for an attractive Dioptase.
Rhodochrosite with Aegirine and Natrolite
stock #23.1-150
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Monteregie
Quebec,
Canada
5.3 x 4.8 x 3.8 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $450
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A complex multi-specie specimen that is about 90 percent Rhodochrosite with dark red color. The Rhodo is in rhombic crystals many of which are intergrown with or contacted by other species. The red color and luster is quite deep and vivid for a Mont St. Hilaire Rhodochrosite. Some parts of these crystals are gemmy being transparent in areas but most are translucent. Rhodos from here are usually dull, less red, more pink to brownish or have a flattened twinning habit. A modern Canadian classic.
Rhodochrosite - distorted stalactite
stock #20.1-888
Capillitas Mine, Andagala
Catamarca,
Argentina
8 x 4.1 x 3.1 CM (cabinet)
price: $2650
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
An amazing and weird Rhodo with a stalactitic form that is bent and distorted. Everyone who has seen this says it looks like a woman in pink tights bending over. That is a description than I am certain has never before been written about any mineral specimen. No matter the anthropomorphic aspects, this is a very fine Capillitas stalactite with the usual growth rings seen at one end and the rest is covered by an outer layer of crystalline Rhodo. The "pink woman" has no feet however and her ankles are the concentric cores of the specimen. Capillitas is famed for the stalactitic and botryoidal forms of Rhodo found there. This piece stands out for several reasons and certainly counts as a mineral oddity. Aside form the point of attachment at the ankles, there is no damage and the specimen has good pink to red color. This is simply like no other Rhodo and has an eye-catching form that stands out.
Scheelite on Aquamarine Beryl with Muscovite
stock #12.1-060
Mt. Xuebaoding, Pingwu Co., Mianyang Pref.
Sichuan Province,
China
7.3 x 4.6 x 3.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $950
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A fine combo specimen with a sharp Scheelite crystal perched on the edge of a elongated tabular Aquamarine crystal. From early finds at Mt Xuebaoding, the combination of species like this in well-developed crystals helped to make the location famous. Other than contacts with Muscovite in some areas these are in fine shape, esthetic and present very well. We certainly would call this a modern classic, the locality now produces very little as most of it is closed and the new finds are not at all like this.
Pyromorphite - classic French
stock #19.1-086
Les Farges, Correze
Limousin,
France
4.9 x 3.6 x 3.5 CM (miniature)
price: $1600
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A fine and very well-formed cluster of Pyromorphite crystals from the famed locale of Les Farges. The color of the terminations is an orange to yellow with some zoning on one side where the crystals have chocolate brown areas. In excellent condition on all sides, this has no obvious point of attachment and is well-crystalized on every side. From some angles this looks a bit like a Bunker Hill Pyro but it is clearly not, this is a much less common but fine French specimen.
Diopside (Chrome Diopside)
stock #21.1-327
Chamachu, Haramoush Mts.
Gilgit-Baltistan,
Pakistan
5 x 3.2 x 2.4 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $1150
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A big, bright apple-green blocky habit Chrome Diopside crystal. From finds over a decade ago at Chamachu in Pakistan, this has great luster and excellent display qualities and especially vivid color. In very good condition overall, there is a single crack that seems to have been repaired but is not very visible, but it keeps the price quite low for a crystal of this size and quality. Unusually large for this area and a very good value if you are not a perfectionist.
Apatite - Maine classic locale
stock #25.1-317
Emmons Quarry, Greenwood, Oxford County
Maine,
United States
2.5 x 2.3 x 1.2 CM (thumbnail)
price: $130
Spring to Summer; New and Vintage
A cute thumbnail with 5 small Apatite crystals on a sliver of Cleavelandite. From the Emmons Quarry in Greenwood Maine, this shows a typical habit and color for the locale. The crystals have internal crazing that makes them look a bit broken but this is mostly an effect of the light being reflected by the internal planes. Some slight color zoning is noted as well.
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