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TUC10-30 - Kammererite - ¥ 165254 Kop Krom mine, Kop Daglari, Erzurum Province, Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey miniature, 4.3 x 3.5 x 3.0 cm ex. Irv Brown
This beautiful miniature specimen features a GEMMY 1.7 cm crystal atop, which is of quite rare size for the species. More than that, it will literally cut a large stone, again a rarity for the species. This was in the Irv Brown miniatures collection in San Diego, in the mid 1990s, and was then sold as he switched from miniatures to larger specimens. At the time, I recall that the local gem cutter (aka Mark the Butcher of Good Crystals) offered him $1200 for the piece as (wholesale) cutting rough. Irv and I were both mortified! But, that speaks to the rarity of cut gems of this incredibly intense purple color, of any species. Funny enough, I had forgotten about the piece for over a decade and just came across it , to reacquire it, recently. I recognized it immediately of course, as there is so much mediocrity available for these old finds (mostly came out over 30 years ago), and this one was exceptional.
TUC10-315 - Diopside cluster - ¥ 177966 Merelani Mines, Lelatema Mts, Arusha Region, Tanzania miniature, 4.3 x 1.5 x 1.2 cm
This is a particularly elegant cluster of unusually gemmy, unusually lustrous, and unusually transparent lime-green diopside from a famous pocket of mid-2008. The quality of these things is like from no other pocket from the mine, and the diopsides from here do, i think, rank at the top of their food chain. Clusters are quite uncommon compared to singles. This cluster is complete all around, and has minor associated graphite. Note the unusually sharp termination on the specimen...it is beyond the ordinary quality.
TUC10-316 - Polybasite - ¥ 220339 SOLD Husky Mine, Elsa, Yukon Territory, Canada miniature, 3.0 x 2.2 x 1.3 cm ex. Mark Mauthner
These exceptional and uniquely colorful silver species specimens were collected in 1977 by Joe Weinholtzner at a remote location. Rumour (and truth as it turns out !) has it that nearly all were stored in a coffee can at the time and kept that way for decades. Not the best packing job for a collector.... Though many were sold at the time, a number of the largest and finest pieces were kept back and many of these came to market through Mark Mauthner, in 2004-2005. The polybasite crystals, of which this is one of the larger and more robust examples that I have seen for sale from the locality, have been previously very scarce on the market in any size above thumbnail. Most are thin plates, whereas this is a robust, 3-dimensional cluster. The specimens feature a very attractive purple/blue/red/green iridescence, which sets them off from other worldwide localities for these species (both the polybasite and stephanite from here have the coloration). The mine is defunct and despite searching, no more have been found here in 30 years now. This phenomenal specimen is one of the very best Husky miniatures I have seen for sale. It is from the collection of Dr. Mark Mauthner. The display face has no damage, save a (small) ding at the top of the left cluster, and it is otherwise in good shape. It is contacted on the bottom edge and a bit on the backside, but again is nearly pristine where it matters most. The color is spectacular: a metallic mix of iridescent purple, red and blue hues (much more obvious in person than the pictures indicate). Individual crystals reach 1.7 cm.
TUC10-317 - Diopside - ¥ 127119 SOLD Merelani Mines, Lelatema Mts, Arusha Region, Tanzania miniature, 4.4 x 2.0 x 1.6 cm
A large, intensely lime-green crystal from important finds here over the last few years. This is a fat and robust, 25 gram, crystal that is complete all around and has a well-formed, fat termination It is translucent, not transparent. It has an unusual schiller effect to the surfaces , though, as if there are thin layers reflecting differently on the surface. Overall, just a big fat crystal for the price, an da real burst of color. I think these will stand as one of the more amazing finds from this mine, much more rare than tanzanite itself from here.
TUC10-318 - Diopside - ¥ 80508 Merelani Mines, Lelatema Mts, Arusha Region, Tanzania miniature, 4.0 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm
A large, intensely lime-green crystal from important finds here over the last few years. This is a fat and robust, 13 gram, crystal. It looks bigger than it masses, because the back is crossed by a contact where it grea against another crystal, and is thus thinned in places. It is complete all around and has moderate translucence. In color, this one is a little bit of a darker hue than the previous two specimens from the same mine, and it makes for a stunning single display crystal.
TUC10-319 - Petalite - ¥ 148305 Mogok, Burma miniature, 3.8 x 2.4 x 1.6 cm ex. William Larson
A 17-gram GEM petalite with a most unusual, champagne color to it?! This is a total gem, floater, crystal. It has a large gem rough value to it, as well. From the James Zigras collection, and previously from the Bill Larson Mogok collection. Highly unusual and significant, for the Mogok or REE collector, I would think
TUC10-320 - Copper (spinel-twinned) - ¥ 105932 Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA small cabinet, 7.1 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm
From a famous find of 2006, this is a superb example of spinel-twinned copper crystals from a one-time erratic find. All came from a single large boulder found by Stan Esbenshade, and carefully trimmed out. This is a complete floater, terminated all around and formed in a spongy mass of strange copper float material. This is a particularly gracile and elegant, slightly curving, specimen composed of a central twinned crystal from which outgrowths shoot to the sides. This was a onetime find, and now these are hard to find for sale today. Classic!
TUC10-321 - Copper (spinel-twinned) - ¥ 105932 Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA small cabinet, 6.1 x 1.3 x 1.2 cm
From a famous find of 2006, this is a superb example of spinel-twinned copper crystals from a one-time erratic find. All came from a single large boulder found by Stan Esbenshade, and carefully trimmed out. This is, for the size , unusually thick - much more robust than most. Note the layer of secondary crystallization like wings along most of the central spinel twin. The clear spokes of the central twinned copper crystal provide several sharp flanges to give it added visual impact and size appeal. This was a onetime find, and now these are hard to find for sale today. This is a complete floater, terminated all around and formed in a spongy mass of strange copper float material.
TUC10-322 - Spinel - ¥ 177966 Mahenge, Morogoro Region, Tanzania miniature, 4.8 x 4.3 x 3.4 cm
These were found recently, in the end of 2009. And, this is a rather large and complete spinel for the find with unusual hot pink-red color and good symmetry (rare in this size).This crystal is 89 grams and complete all around. And NOTE when cut, the finest of this locality of the hot strawberry pinks bring up to $25,000 a carat! There are probably gem zones inside if you cob it, small ones anyhow. But most specimens from this find are small and partial. Large crystals like this were exceedingly rare. This is one of the largest my sources know of from the find, in complete and worthy specimen quality
TUC10-323 - Spinel - ¥ 338983 Mahenge, Morogoro Region, Tanzania small cabinet, 6.1 x 5.3 x 4.5 cm
A HUGE spinel for the locale, with unusual hot pink-red color. The central crystal in the cluster is to 5 cm on edge, an dnearly pristine (just a minor amount of insignificant edge wear exists). These were found recently, in the end of 2009. This cluster is 162 grams and complete all around, very 3-dimensional. And NOTE when cut, the finest of this locality of the hot strawberry pinks bring up to $25,000 a carat! There are probably gem zones inside if you cob it, small ones anyhow. But most specimens from this find are small and partial. Large crystals like this were exceedingly rare. This is one of the largest my sources know of from the find, in complete and worthy specimen quality
TUC10-324 - Boleite - ¥ 63559 Amelia Mine, Santa Rosalia, Boleo District, Baja California Sur, Mexico thumbnail, various
This is a Ryker Mount box with approx. 20 crystals of varying shapes and sizes, of boleite. They are mostly cubic, in habit. These are from the famous late 1970s re-exploration of this prospect by Larson and Swoboda. Sizes reach 7mm, with most being very sharp
TUC10-325 - Boleite - ¥ 63559 Amelia Mine, Santa Rosalia, Boleo District, Baja California Sur, Mexico thumbnail, various
This is a Ryker Mount box with approx. 20 crystals of varying shapes and sizes, of boleite. They are mostly cubic, in habit. These are from the famous late 1970s re-exploration of this prospect by Larson and Swoboda. Sizes reach 9mm, though the largest one is not sharply cubic
TUC10-326 - Emerald on Calcite - ¥ 1016949 Cosquez Mine, Boyaca Dept., Columbia miniature, 4.6 x 3.2 x 2.6 cm
A central 3.2 x 1.4 x 1.2 cm emerald crystal, translucent and gemmy, sits amidst a nest of stark white calcite. Importantly the calcite is crystallized - the best kind of matrix on these. The emerald has a very gemmy tip, and the rest of the crystal is quite translucent. It is a medium green in color, by gem dealer standards, but this is a color that I find very pleasing and fine for a specimen. As well, the contrast of white on green is dramatic. Long in the collection of Steven Sinotte and Rebecca Stewart, they bought this directly from one of the sources, and I agree with their feeling that this is a very special, balanced, display miniature. There are many emeralds to be had, and choosing one requires a compromise og gemminess, color, aesthetics, matrix, etc...this piece really has most qualities you would want, and for the price range I thought a very impressive specimen
TUC10-327 - Stibnite with Barite - ¥ 101695 Baia Sprie, Maramures, Romania small cabinet, 8.7 x 7.0 x 5.9 cm ex. James Zigras
This is old classic material, mined several decades ago. VERY FEW old stibnites from this famous and now defunct district have any kind of modern, world-level aesthetics to them. This one, however, can hold its own against contemporary chinese material collected under better conditions. It is nearly pristine, and has a very aesthetic arrangement of radiating crystals from a common center. The crystals reach 3 cm. Small, sharp, gem-clear barites to 4 mm abound in the crevasses between the crystals. I have also chosen not to overclean this to make it bright and shiny - it retains its original patina.
TUC10-329 - Cerussite included by Malachite - ¥ 720339 SOLD Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 4.1 x 3.2 x 2.3 cm
An exceptional rarity! This is a cerussite of gem quality and high lustre, included with brilliant green malachite. Very few of these turn up on the market - I have sold a LOT of Tsumeb pieces and handled perhaps only half a dozen in 20 years. This would rank near the top, in quality overall. And for a miniature, its really up there compared to its peers. In person, the subtle contrasts are mesmerizing, and the reticulated twinning oof the cerussite is geometric and 3-dimensional. It is a SUPERB miniature, period, for any species, and for a Tsumeb suite will leap out from the crowd (and there IS a crowd). Such pieces are rare, and said to have come from just one pocket in the 1980s (though I cannot confirm this).
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