** Updated 12/24/2009 with New Exceptional Specimens! **
 Photo by Joe Budd |
VERY RARE and EXCEPTIONAL!!
Tremendous specimen featuring a fully terminated, 4 cm
crystal of gemmy Phosphophyllite
on Siderite and Pyrite matrix! I can't stress just how rare matrix Phosphophyllites are!
This
mineral was discovered at the Unificada Mine in the late 1950's and due to the
extreme
dangers of mining it, very few specimens have come to light in the decades since. Even
fewer fine crystals of large size on matrix have been discovered and this is only the
second
matrix specimen that I've offered in the past twelve years! A piece of this caliber comes
to market maybe once every 5 or so years so this is indeed a rare opportunity. This
crystal is not only large, it is also fully twinned with a beautiful aqua-green
coloration.
The multiple crystal faces are glassy and bounce light around like a faceted jewel.
From the Unificada Mine, Cerro Rico,
Potosí City, Potosi Dept., Bolivia.
Measures 4.7 cm by 4.4 cm in size.
Currently in the Kevin Ward Mineral Collection
Price $22,500
 Photo by Joe Budd |
MIN#EM-3 NEW!
Exceptional cluster of gorgeous Red Beryl
crystals in and atop Rhyolite matrix!
Honestly, Red Beryl clusters of this quality are so rare that I can count the number of
them
that I've seen on just one hand. This ranks as one of the finest with gemmy tipped
crystals
and super glassy faces. I owned this specimen some years ago and I'm very pleased to
have it back on the website for the second time. This is truely a unique opportunity.
From the Wah Wah Mountains near Delta, Utah
Measures 6.4 cm by 5.2 cm by 5.2 cm with 1.6 cm and 1.3 cm Red Beryl crystals.
Ex. Kevin Ward, Ferris Mineral Collections
Price $35,000
 |
Beautiful specimen featuring
Spessartine Garnets in matrix!
A rare matrix specimen from the recent find of
bright orange Spessartine Garnet
in Tanzania! When these first appeared on the market, almost all were off matrix
and individual crystals. Lately, I've been seeing more matrix specimens but this
remains one of the best I've seen. The front side (pictured) consists of three orange
Spessartine crystals set in a sparkling schistic matrix. The largest of these Garnets
measures 2.2 cm in size and all three are semi-gemmy with the largest being the most
translucent of the three which is sort of odd. Not pictured are two additional Garnets
located on the bottom side of the matrix. A very aesthetic miniature with a lot of flash!
From Nani, Loliondo, Arusha Region, Tanzania.
Measures 5.3 cm by 6.9 cm in size.
Price $4500
 |
Amazing combo featuring Polybasite
crystals atop Calcite with a larger Calcite at top!
This is the kind of specimen that really gets me
excited! A large, gemmy Calcite sitting
atop a matrix of smaller Calcites which are completely covered by Polybasite crystals
in varying sizes! I love combination specimens but to find one of this size with so
many
Polybasites (there must be hundreds of them!) is rare indeed. The largest Polybasite
is very lustrous and can be seen at 4 o'clock in the photo. It measures 1.3 cm in size!
From Guanajuato, Guanajuato (GTO) , Mexico.
Measures 7 cm by 8.3 cm in size with a 4 cm Calcite!
Currently in the Kevin Ward Personal
Collection
Price $4500
 |
Gorgeous specimen of super lustrous
botryoidal Rhodochrosite!
Incredible specimen of deep-red Rhodochrosite with an intense luster! To my
knowledge, Rhodochrosite from
this locality was found only once in the early 1990's. This is a large and very impressive
specimen from that find!
From the Ushkatan III Deposit, Atasu-Karazhal-Zhayrem Area
of Kazakhstan.
Measures 7.1 cm by 14 cm by 5.5 cm in size.
Price $3500
 |
Classic specimen of San Pedro
Corralitos Mimetite!
I rarely see these without contacts and bruises
these days and this specimen comes as
close to pristine as I've seen in while. The color is a vibrant yellow with a touch of
orange
and the base is accented by glassy Calcite crystals. A gorgeous specimen of pure
quality.
From San Pedro Corralitos, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Measures 4 cm by 6 cm in total size.
Comes with a custom made, engraved base.
Price $4500
 |
MIN#EM-8 NEW!
From my personal Silver Collection!
Incredible sprays of Proustite with Acanthite and
Native Silver on Calcite crystals!
This classic old museum piece dates back to the 1850's and is quite simply the finest
specimen of German Proustite on matrix that I've ever seen or owned! The Proustite
has been well protected and still has considerable redness in the crystals. The addition
of Acanthite and Native Silver wires makes the piece extraordinary. Even the matrix
is composed of sharp, well formed and stacked Calcite crystals! From the Himmelfurst
Mine, Freiberg District, Erzgeberg, Saxony, Germany. Measures 8.5 cm by 7 cm in size.
Comes with a custom made, labeled stand.
From the Kevin Ward Personal Collection
Price $32,500
 Photo by Joe Budd |
EXCEPTIONAL!! Gemmy Beryl var.
Heliodor (Yellowish-Green Beryl) on Quartz matrix!
Definately the finest Massachusetts Beryl I've seen
in many years! This glassy crystal
is doubly terminated and measures 4 cm in length by 1.7 cm in width! I'm calling it a
Heliodor although it does tilt towards the greener side of the Heliodor scale. The matrix
is a grainy Quartz which provides the perfect contrast to the Beryl in both color and
surface texture. The provenance with this specimen dates back to 1949 but it's possible
that the specimen is even older. Beryls of this quality from the east coast are very rare.
From South Royalston, Worcester County, Massachusetts.
Measures 6.8 by 6.6 cm by 4.1 cm in size.
Ex. Johansson (1949), Marvin Rausch Mineral Collections
Currently in the Kevin Ward Personal Collection
Price $6500
 Photo by Joe Budd |
EXCEPTIONAL SWEETWATER MINE COMBO!!
Without a doubt, this is the most incredible
Sweetwater Mine specimen I've ever seen
or owned! Honestly, I know of none better than this. I'm sure better specimens
exist but this
combination of large, mirror bright Galenas with a huge pristine, Elmwood-like Calcite
(perfectly
terminated) takes the prize for me. I'm not one who gets tremendously excited about
Sweetwater
specimens but this piece dazzled me and it earned a good number of long stares while on
display
in my Tucson case. Rarely does a specimen of this size survive intact without bumps and
bruises.
Even the Golden Calcite tip is perfect (and quite gemmy I might add). This is a true
centerpiece
and definately museum quality. If you can find a better Sweetwater piece, buy it on the
spot!
From the Sweetwater Mine, Ellington, Viburnum Trend,
Reynolds County, Missouri.
Measures 22.5 cm by 18.5 cm by 10.2 cm in size.
Currently in the Kevin Ward Personal Collection
Price $24,500
 |
MIN#EM-11 NEW!
Gemmy, blue cluster of near flawless Beryl
var. Aquamarine crystals with Muscovite!
This was one of my better finds at the Dallas Mineral Show! The cluster boasts full
terminations
with excellent color and flash. The transparency of the crystals speaks for itself in the
above photo.
From Chumar Bakhoor, Gilgit, Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Measures 6 cm by 8.2 cm in total size.
Comes with a custom made, labeled base.
Price $5500
 |
MIN#EM-13 NEW!
MUSEUM QUALITY PLATE!! Tremendous, large
cabinet plate of super lustrous Sphalerite "flowers"
with Barite clusters on Dolomitic matrix! This is the finest Elmwood Sphalerite specimen I
have ever
seen or offered on the website. Usually these large plates of Sphalerite are either dull
or damaged
but this specimen is the exception. It is as close to perfect as you can find with superb
aesthetics.
From the Elmwood Mine in Smith County, Tennessee.
Measures 24 cm by 33 cm in size with a 9.5 cm Sphalerite cluster at top left!
Ex. Charlie Key Collection
Price $12,500
 |
MIN#EM-14 NEW!
Very gemmy crystals of Beryl var. Emerald with a bit of matrix!
I've seen lots of Russian Emeralds but this cute specimen has to be the gemmiest!
I can literally see through the top portion and the remainder is very translucent with
a gorgeous, rich coloration. The small attached Emerald on the left is a nice bonus.
 |
Glassy blades of reddish-orange
Wulfenite on matrix!
I love the look of this Red Cloud specimen! Not only
are the individual blades very glassy and
undamaged, but the color is better than average and the setting atop the matrix really
draws
your eyes towards the crystal cluster. I think there is one tiny incomplete blade in the
background but
overall, this specimen is nearly perfect. I don't purchase many Wulfenites but this one
impressed me!
From the 2005 Red Gem Pocket, Red Cloud Mine, Trigo
Mountains, La Paz County, Arizona.
Measures 5.7 cm by 7.8 cm in size.
Price $3500
For More Exceptional Specimens, Click Here!
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