rhodochrosite, purple fluorite, quartz. Babu Mining Area, China. It’s a stunning specimen. The thick layer of gemmy rhodochrosite looks delicious. Overall this complex piece has a lot going on and is in excellent condition. No repairs or alterations. An amazing, rare, spectacular specimen. Large at 130 mm across by 90 mm deep and 57 mm tall to the top of the pink mound; one pound and two ounces. $1400
inesite, dadolite, calcite – Wessels Mine, South Africa. A large inesite mound nestles snugly with other forms of the mineral, along with calcite, and dadolite. Great color and character. It’s encrusted with brilliant crystals in many forms, even a bow tie. No repairs or alterations. 77 by 72 by 43 mm; 7 ounces. $500
fluorite, galena – Naica, Mexico. Large museum size shelf of perfect, nicely formed, fluorite crystals with galena and quartz. Naica fluorite crystals have fantastic shapes and are easily recognizable as Naica. This shelf is terminated on the bottom and on the long curving side and displays beautifully. No repairs or alterations. 22 by 22 cm and 6 cm thick; 8 ½ pounds. $450
vesuvianite with grossular – Lake Jaco, Mexico, Ex-Rice Museum Collection. The Rice Museum must have found a fantastic specimen of this mineral in order to replace this one. The specimen and the location are not rare, but top pieces like this are. It has shining luster all around including on both pyramidal ends. No repairs or alterations. 56 mm long by 31 by 31 mm; 92 grams. $25
prehnite, quartz, byssolite – Manassas Quarry, Virginia, Rice Museum Collection. The original card had the information above. There’s a lot going on, right down to the alluring, silky blue-gray prehnite that underlies it all. Tiny, gemmy green crystals and delicate byssolite coat about half of the smooth prehnite. You need to use magnification to see the tiny byssolite hairs. No repairs or alterations. 64 by 52 by 34 mm; 130 grams. $25
aquamarine – Shigar, Pakistan. Fabulous all natural geologic process etched double-terminated blue-green beryl with shimmering muscovite and abundant allure. Peek through the window into the interior and wonder about the perfect sea-like world that lay within. I always wondered, and still do, what sort of huge stone or pair of stones you could cut from it and what the sea green gems would look like. Although it looks rough, it’s amazingly perfect. The interior appears to be clean and without any fracturing, probably some natural veils. No repairs or alterations. 7 cm long; about 42 mm thick at widest point; just under 7 ounces. $350
246. green fluorite – Xianghuapu Mine, China. 85 mm tall by 90 by 85 mm; one pound, eight ounces. Water clear cubic crystals. No repairs or alterations.
My sources told me decades ago that there are no more like this available. It’s gemmy and lustrous, as good as or better than what I have seen offered by high-end dealers. Here is what a customer for one of these, a very knowledgeable high end collector, said after receiving it: “fluorite arrived and traveled well. very clean and transparent. really is a very nice piece.” $750