** Updated 8/3/2009 with New Exceptional Specimens! **
 Photo by Joe Budd |
EXCEPTIONAL PLATE OF CLASSIC
RHODOCHROSITE!
The above specimen is a Climax Mine Rhodochrosite on Quartz
point matrix!
Anyone who knows Rhodos knows just how incredibly difficult it is to find a good Climax
Rhodochrosite. Occasionally I see incomplete rhombs without matrix or even rarer - a
partial or
coated rhomb on matrix. But the holy grail for Rhodo collectors is a good sized plate of
Quartz
crystals with large, complete, deeply colored (and uncoated) rhombs and it took me over
twelve
years to find a specimen that met every one of those qualities. Quite frankly, I
haven't seen
or owned a better specimen from the Climax Mine! This specimen is so good that it could
be confused for a Sweet Home or even Pasto Bueno Rhodo but it is 100% Climax which
makes it so much rarer and all the more special. It's also in excellent condition with
only
a scattering of incomplete Quartz points to speak of and they definately don't detract!
Atop some of the points is a slight coating of Calcite which leads to the gorgeous rhombs
of Rhodochrosite which are complete and glow a translucent cherry-red. They measure
4.6 cm, 2.6 cm, and several of 1 cm in size! I count at least a dozen rhombs of various
sizes!
From the Ceresco Ridge Area of the Climax Mine, Fremont
Pass, Lake County, Colorado.
Measures 8.9 cm by 11.3 cm in total size.
Ex. Gerstley Mineral Collection
Currently in the Kevin Ward Collection of American Classics
Price $95,000
 |
Native Gold wire with a Gold crystal emerging from
Quartz matrix!
Impressive specimen with a lot of pizzazz! The wire itself measures a full
2.5 cm in length
and features a small Gold crystal attached to its right side. Cute specimen and quite
scarce!
From the Pamour Mine, Porcupine Camp, Cochrane District,
Ontario, Canada.
Measures 5.8 cm by 3.4 cm in size.
Ex. Van Cleave
Mineral Collection
Price $2450
 |
Exceptional Russian Combo!
Large, crystal-clear Fluorite dodecahedron
perched between Green Quartz
(Hedenbergite included) and atop Calcite! The glassy Fluorite itself is pristine and very
lustrous, measuring nearly 4 cm across the front. A smaller sidecart crystal is incomplete
on the backside but this doesn't affect the large Fluorite. Most of the Green Quartz
crystals are terminated with the largest being doubly terminated. The Calcites near
the bottom add a nice touch to what is a very attractive specimen of bygone mining.
From Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia.
Measures 7.4 cm by 6 cm in size.
Ex. Edward David Collection
Price $2500
 |
MIN#EM-34 NEW!
EXCEPTIONAL!!! Extraordinary cluster of Beryl var. Emerald crystals with Rutile!
Rarely does one fine such a large, aesthetic specimen of Emerald from North Carolina!
I've seen better specimens from the Rist Mine but they are all in museums or carry a
huge price tag. I was VERY fortunate to come across this specimen while in Tucson.
Not only is it aesthetic but it is dramatic. The crystals are all complete and either
terminated or rehealed on the terminations. There are no incomplete crystals here.
The fat Emerald crystal at the bottom sits on a small amount of Calcite matrix and
is accented by lustrous Rutiles around the base. It rises some 3.5 cm until it finds
an incredible 7 cm Emerald, which angles upwards and intersects with a smaller
3.3 cm Emerald which lends support to the entire arrangement. Both crystals are
incredibly smooth for a North Carolina specimen (usually etched) and are quite
gemmy with excellent color. The 7 cm crystal also has a facet-like termination
at top! There is one repair on the this crystal but it is literally invisible and I
challenge anyone to find it. I know where the crystal was professionally put back
together and even I can't see a line using a 10x loupe. Apparently the largest
Emerald naturally came apart in the pocket due to its size. This is a common
occurance with large gem crystals and in no way detracts from the specimen.
From the North American Emerald Mine (Rist Mine), Hiddenite,
North Carolina.
Measures 7.8 cm by 5.5 cm in total size.
Currently in the Kevin Ward Collection of American Classics
Price $28,500
 Photo by Joe Budd |
Beautiful Tourmaline var. Indicolite
crystals perched atop Quartz crystals!
The Tourmaline actually stretches down the entire
backside, measuring 6 cm in length.
It's also quite thick, measuring nearly 4 cm at the base and 3 cm across the top. A good
portion of the crystal is a dark blue with the top being a vibrant gem blue! The Quartz
crystals could best be described as smoky and both are terminated atop Albite matrix.
From Paprok, Nuristan Province of Afghanistan.
Measures 6 cm by 6 cm in size.
Price $3500
 |
MIN#EM-36 NEW!
EXCEPTIONAL! Tremendous plate featuring a
smoky-golden Cerussite crystal with Barite on matrix!
The Cerussite is perfectly terminated and measures nearly 6 cm in length. The orange
Barite blades
to the left are in excellent shape and contrast beautifully atop the sparkling Cerussite
matrix.
From Mibladen, Midelt, Meknes-Tafilalet Region, Morocco.
Measures 6.7 cm by 10 cm in size.
Ex. Gary R. Hansen Collection.
From the Kevin Ward Personal Collection
Price $3850
 |
EXCEPTIONAL TOURMALINES with
LEPIDOLITE!!
A stunning specimen of multi-colored Tourmaline
crystals rising some 11.3 cm above a Lepidolite
covered base! The crystal surfaces are literally flawless with a glassy vibrance I rarely
see in
Tourmaline specimens. Both crystals are perfectly terminated with emerald-green tips that
evolve
into a bluish-green coloration which then changes over to a lighter green near the bottom.
The lower
portion of the actually becomes "watermelon" in that the interior is red while
the exterior is green.
The pinkish Lepidolite crystals are the perfect accent to this amazing, UNREPAIRED
Tourmaline!
Circa 2001 from the Rocket Pocket, Pederneira Mine, São
José da Safira, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Measures 11.3 cm by 2.5 cm in total size.
Price $25,000
 |
MIN#EM-39 SOLD!
Hall of Fame Specimen!
EXCEPTIONAL!! Rounded crystals of
Rubellite Tourmaline on Quartz points!
Gorgeous specimen without any damage or contacts whatsoever to the terminations
of both points and all Tourmaline crystals. From the Mogok Stone Tract in Burma.
This is the finest Rubellite specimen I've seen from Burma! Measures 10 by 8.7 cm.
Comes with a custom made, labeled stand.
Ex. Edward E. David Collection.
Price $9500
 |
MIN#EM-40 NEW!
SUPERB! Incredibly sharp crystals of
Native Copper on Prehnite matrix!
Wow, this specimen really grabbed my attention. I love the combination with
Prehnite and the crystals of Copper are among the sharpest I've ever seen!
From Keweenaw County, Michigan.
Measures 3.7 cm by 3.2 cm in size.
Price $1500
 |
Gemmy, red rhombs of Rhodochrosite
with Fluorite, Sphalerite and Pyrite!
What an incredible Chinese Rhodochrosite! The rhombs
are slightly etched which
is normal but it doesn't detract from the transparency and translucence of these glassy
crystals! The color is some of the deepest red I've seen to date from China and very
impressive. If Chinese Rhodo gets much better, it will be the equal of the Sweet
Home!
From the Wuton (Wudong) Mine, Liubao, Wuzhou Prefecture,
Guangxi Zhuang A. R., China.
Measures 4.1 cm by 5 cm in size.
Price $1500
 |
NEW and VERY RARE!!! Gemmy Golden
Topaz perched alongside a Quartz cluster!
This is the finest Topaz on Quartz in existance from
this obscure locality! A small find of Golden
Topaz crystals were found last year during a trip to Argentina and the few specimens that
were brought
back appeared at the Tucson Show. The trip and discovery are written about in The Mineralogical Record,
Jan-Feb 2009, Volume 40, Issue Number 1. Most of the find consisted of jaggedly
etched gem Topaz
crystals that were loose in the pocket. Only two or three specimens featured the Topaz on
Quartz matrix
and this is the finest of those. There is no better matrix specimen from this locality
anywhere - one of
the few times I can actually make that claim. I was attracted to this specimen because I
prefer Topaz
on matrix and I loved the aesthetic display. The fact that all three Quartz points were
terminated and
the golden Topaz had a smooth glassy termination instead of the jagged etched terminations
that were
common to this find wasn't lost on me either. The Topaz is super gemmy with an internal
glow that is
captured in the photograph above. While the top termination is smooth, the bottom
termination (yes,
the Topaz is doubly terminated!) is etched and slightly jagged like the other crystals in
the pocket.
I believe it is this feature that causes the light to bounce around and reflect inside the
crystal, giving
it the golden glow. The Quartz crystals are also gemmy with a very light and attractive
misting on
the exterior faces, probably the result of a slight etching. The Topaz measures 3 cm by
3.4 cm.
From El Chalten, Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina.
Measures 8 cm by 7.8 cm by 7.7 cm in size.
Currently in the Kevin Ward Personal Collection
Price $7500
 |
Exceptional combination of
Aegirine crystals with Smoky Quartz on Microcline!
Super aesthetic specimen featuring over half a
dozen terminated Aegirine crystals
rising upwards atop Microcline matrix. A perfect, doubly terminated Smoky Quartz
crystal lays horizontally in the foreground. This adds not only contrast, but depth
and eye appeal to what can easily be a somewhat unglamorous mineral. Very nice!
From Mt. Malosa, Zomba District, Malawi.
Measures 6.9 cm by 5.4 cm in size.
Comes with a labeled acrylic base.
Ex. Gabriel Risse Mineral Collection
Price $2450
 |
Glowing crystal of Golden Spodumene
sitting atop a Quartz!
This doubly terminated crystal screams with color! It's got to be
one of the deepest colored Triphane
specimens I've ever seen. The crystal sits atop a terminated Quartz crystal at bottom
center and
is super gemmy and bright with very glassy surfaces. Every single crystal striation is
distinct!
From Pech, Nuristan, Kunar Province of Afghanistan.
Measures 6.8 cm by 8 cm by 3.3 cm.
Price $3500
 |
Mexican classic featuring Amethyst
crystals on Galena with Quartz drusy!
This specimen came from a small pocket found in
the 1960's in Naica, Mexico.
The Amethyst crystals sit atop a matrix of lustrous Galena with a scattering of
smaller Quartz points and drusy which adds further contrast to this very aesthetic
specimen. These classics rarely appear for sale and I purchase them whenever I see
them because the combination is so appealing. This is a rare
opportunity to land one.
From the Siglo XX Mine, Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Measures 9 cm by 7.9 cm in size.
Ex. Stoudt Mineral Collection
Price $2500
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