Alpine Treasures 45
Rauriser Schwarzkopf, Rauris, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 16.5 x 10.1 x 5.3 cm
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Rust brown cubical pyrite crystals are distributed over a bed of white quartz, partly tinged with orange iron-oxide. The pyrite is largely in perfect condition, only near the periphery can you identify some wear. Overall this is a highly appealing landscape specimen that emphasizes those pyrites though strong contrast against the white matrix.
Floitengrund, Zillertaler Alpen, North Tyrol, Austria
Size: 19.7 x 7.8 x 5.5 cm
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With impressive 19.7 cm this is a truly remarkable quartz, particularly impressive due to its sharp crystal architecture and brilliant luster. The piece is completely undamaged, with not the slightest abrasions anywhere, save for the very bottom. The back is partially covered with fine chlorite and features smaller side-crystals, as you can clearly see in our video. A fantastic piece with a distinctive Dauphiné habit and first-class quality.
Sattelkar, Obersulzbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 11.8 x 7.8 x 11.3 cm
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This is essentially a single short-prismatic smoky quartz with a small side-crystal at the lower front. The underside is completely crystallized, making the piece a floater, as can be clearly seen in our video. The crystal displays an intense smoky color and is largely transparent with only a few internal cracks. The condition is almost perfect. Only minor abrasions are visible at the bottom. An attractive specimen of beautiful quality and unique appeal.
Narèt area, Sambuco Valley, Lavizzara, Ticino, Switzerland
Size: 3.5 x 2.8 x 2.2 cm
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Doubly terminated, translucent and completely flawless. The hexagonal prismatic fluorapatite is white to cream colored and has a pearlescent shine. The main termination is flat and lustrous, the underside is somewhat more convoluted but undamaged as well. Definitely a magnificent Alpine apatite crystal!
Grieswies, Rauris, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 10.6 x 6.8 x 6.1 cm
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A magnificent piece that catches the eye not only with its wonderful quality but also with its vibrant matrix.
The main crystal is approximately 8 cm long and exceptionally beautiful, displaying perfect luster on all six prism faces!
The spots you see in the picture are inclusions just below the surface which looks lovely without disturbing the lustrous and nicely structured surface.
A superb crystal and virtually perfect.
The matrix, as mentioned before, is particularly vibrant. A mixture of rock, quartz, chlorite, pericline, and siderite.
Forsterbachtal, Rauris, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5.6 x 4.8 x 4.4 cm
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It's a small beauty, a combination of transparent quartz and white calcite from the Forsterbach valley. While this specimen has a somewhat chaotic look, it really is lovely once you hold it in your hands. An appealing binary presentation of white calcites up to 3.5 cm on the left and transparent quartz' on the right, all associated with white feldspar. The overall condition is very good though perhaps not perfect. There are some damaged patches but you would need a closer look to identify those as all the main crystals are intact and undamaged. Absolutely lovely!
Arzbachgraben, Felbertal, Mittersill, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 10.8 x 7 x 4.5 cm
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A group of glassy, lustrous and well defined quartz crystals are aesthetically aligned, in it’s bent overall shape almost reminding of a gwindel specimen. The crystal quality is excellent and there is no damage present. A stunning and highly attractive floater specimen from Arzbachgraben, a side valley of the Felbertal.
Piz Scalottas, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 6.4 x 4.9 x 3 cm
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The main faden-quartz structure on top of this matrix specimen is 3.2 cm long and utterly brilliant. While the matrix itself is nothing special, a natural piece of feldspar rich rock with some sparkling quartz crystals here and there, this main structure is really nice! It is brilliant, flawless, prominently situated and shows the most distinctive white “faden” that runs right up to the tip! It’s a lovely specimen from the lesser known locale Piz Scalottas near Lenzerheide which yielded a small number of fine faden-quartz specimens.
Schiedergraben, Felbertal, Mittersill, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 12.9 x 9.5 x 6.1 cm
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This is a particularly rich specimen, studded with numerous sharp titanites. Granted, those titanites are not the largest you have seen, no more than 9 mm at best. Still, the sheer number, as well as the sparkling quality make this specimen remarkable. The titanites are set on a light rock matrix, all natural and crystallized with white feldspar micro-crystals. Looking at the bottom you will find a nice surprice. Not only is it crystallized as well but it also has some red rutile to accompany the titanites.
Grieswies, Rauris, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 12.4 x 7.6 x 7.6 cm
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It's a piece of distinct natural character. A vibrant combination of quartz with pericline and calcite, partially tinged with brownish iron oxide. While the backside is largely characterized by contacts, the main view is striking for its rich and well crystallized details. Highly lustrous quartz crystals are embedded between white pericline and grayish calcites. On the right, a single colorless quartz crystal freely stands out. It has a small damage to its tip, but this is not visible from the front. The overall condition and composition are impressive indeed.
Saurüssel, Zemmgrund, Zillertaler Alpen, Nordtirol, Austria
Size: 13.3 x 11.9 x 5.2 cm
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The main crystal is a 12 cm long, completely perfect and doubly terminated. Especially in the upper area it is transparent and shows brilliant luster. Further down, it has an impressive inner life of byssolite and limonite. Attached to the main quartz is a smaller side-crystal (also doubly terminated), as well as a structure of white feldspar. This feldspar is also crystallized all around and overgrown with limonite, chlorite and quartz microcrystals. Fine rutile needles can also be seen. Only the side-crystal has a small chip, but I would say that’s rather insignificant due to the vivid look and the stunning quality of the entire piece.