Sold Minerals
Frunthorn, Valsertal, Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 11.1 x 5.8 x 4.8 cm
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This is exactly the rich cherry-red color fluorite from frunthorn are known for. Seeing two of these crystals - the larger of which is nearly 3 cm on edge - on a beautiful piece of matrix leaves me marveling, especially as there is not a single flaw in sight. The characteristic wheathered granite matrix provides a beautiful sparkling basis and makes this a outstanding Alpine specimen. Watch the video for a better impression of the 3-dimensional quality of this wonderful piece!
Val Giuv, Tujetsch, Vorderrhein Valley, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 14.3 x 9.1 x 7.3 cm
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A compelling landscape of dark brown smoky quartz and snow white adularia crystals on matrix. It is a piece of stark contrast, like quartz and adularia fighting an everlasting war for attention. Both minerals are well balanced, none is getting the upper hand. In between those fronts there is some associated chlorite and byssolite to fill the gaps. An impressive piece of high quality, free of damage and full of lovely details spread all across the massy, natural matrix.
N`Chwaning Mine, Kuruman, Kalahari manganese fields, South Africa
Size: 4.8 x 4 x 3 cm
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This brownish orange crystal with neon-yellow core is in fact a hybrid of ettringite and sturmanite, forming this dramatic piece. As a single crystal on dark contrasting matrix, the impact of this very rare specimen is exceptional. The hexagonal shape of this flawless sturmanite is nicely discernible all around and even shows faces at the bottom like on a doubly terminated crystal. We luckily got this piece out of an old collection as there is not much new comming these days. A rare chance for an excellent strumanite/ettringite specimen!
Popberg Alp, Untersulzbachtal, Hohe Tauern, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5.6 x 4.4 x 4 cm
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About 1 km south of the Knappenwand and its famous epidote is the Popberg, home of these classy adularia crystals. Several adularia crystals of superb quality, gemmy, lustrous and partly covered in some chlorite, are perched on a brilliantly sparkling piece of matrix. The backside is naturally broken and even shows some lovely crystallization. This is a piece of great aesthetics, where the chlorite adds color and contrast just in the right amount. Marvelous quality, perfect proportions and no damage on any of those great adularia crystals!
Monte Prosa, Central St. Gotthard Massif, Tessin (Ticino), Switzerland
Size: 8.1 x 2.8 x 1.9 cm
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A filigree sculpture of pure white adularia that is a complete floater. The adularia is highly lustrous and of great translucent quality. Spread over it is a rather small amount of green chlorite adding a nice Alpine character without disturbing the beauty of this lovely piece. Remarkable and in perfect condition!
Camissinone Mine, Zogno, Brembana Valley, Bergamo Province, Lombardy, Italy
Size: 12.1 x 9.7 x 8.3 cm
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The famed purple color of Zogno fluorite is absolutely mesmerizing at this unusually well shaped piece. Most pieces are so heavily etched - which is not per se a bad thing - that the original habit is unrecognisable. Here on the other hand the cubical shape is obvious with amazing 9.3 cm on edge. Bottom and backside are more heavily etched and gradually the shape turns into a more typicall Zogno fluorite. Best color is at the bottom of the crystal so a low backlight illumination would bring out this flash of purple color in the most favorable way!
Dammastock, Göschener Alp, Göschenen, Uri, Switzerland
Size: 4.2 x 2.9 x 1.3 cm
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The quality of this piece is hard to put into a photograph so I strongly recommend our video where clarity and luster are much better discernible. This smaller gwindel is half closed which is extremely rare. Except for on minimal ding this piece is flawless and even at the bottom, where it detached from the matrix it is nicely crystallized. Inside the crystal there is not a single crack! A brilliant piece of marvellous quality that is much better inperson!
Novo Horizonte, Bahia, Brazil
Size: 11 x 8.2 x 4.5 cm
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3-dimensionally arranged acicular rutile needles on tabular hematite, characteristic for the famous locale of Novo Horizonte. The straw-yellow rutile is in surprisingly good condition and remarkably beautiful. Outstanding for its lovely aesthetics and the relatively large overall size.
Please note: Due to its fragility hand delivery is a must at this specimen. Please contact us, so we can arrange a meeting!
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Thick and glassy, sparkling and dominant, this impressive quartz specimen from Felbertal is absolutely amazing! The main crystal, over 18 cm long and 7.4 cm in diameter, is of best quality with a completely glassy upper half, sharp edges and great weet-look luster. The backside is contacted - though perfectly re-crystallized - and in some parts covered in beautiful dark green chlorite as is characteristic for the locale. The whole piece is in excellent condition with only some insignificant edgewear. A marvelous quartz specimen, large and impressive!
Hocharnwand, Hohe Tauern, Carinthia, Austria
Size: 15 x 8 x 5.8 cm
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When it comes to aesthetics, this is sure one of the very finest specimen out of the Hocharnwand smoky quartz cleft that is regarded as the best of the whole Eastern Alps! Found by Dr. Georg Kandutsch in 1985 under harshest conditions it appears almost too pretty and calm to have been retrieved from under ice and snow, in a deep and hostile rock cleft. This piece is not trimmed but all naturall. The two main crystals form a dominant "V" that distinctly stands out from a group of smoky side-crystals and some ankerite. The quartz is clear, has best smoky color, nice shimmering luster and is completely flawless which is a small miracle if you consider its history. This is a totally unique treasure for any collector of Alpine minerals!
Galmihorn, Münster, Wallis, Switzerland
Size: 4.3 x 2.7 x 4.2 cm
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An Alpine specimen of exceptional beauty! It's a lovely smoky quartz gwindel on matrix, that diagonally protrudes from a small piece of matrix, covered in smaller quartz and adularia crystals. The gwindel is all perfect without a scratch and water-clear! Outstanding for the exceptionally attractive aesthetics and brilliant quality!
Zinggenstock, Grimsel area, Hasli valley, Berner Oberland, Switzerland
Size: 12 x 9.6 x 8.3 cm
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A very natural, completely flawless smoky quartz specimen on a grey-white matrix that is crystallized with feldspar and smoky quartz micro-crystals on all sides, including the bottom! The quartz shows best dark brown color and is totally limpid, making it easy to light right through to the matrix' surface. Especially the largest crystal at the center shows excellent crystal habit with a pointed termination and well structured surface. Alpine smoky quartz at its best with a lively landscape of smaller side-crystals in every size and a well contrasting untreated matrix. Absolutely marvellous in person! Have a look on our video for a better 360° impression!