Mixed Minerals
Ambararata, Tsitondroina Commune, Ikalamavony Pegmatite Field, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
Size: 7.1 x 3.6 x 3.2 cm
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A high quality piece from Ambararata, Madagascar that strikes through its exceptionally nice color zoning. The specimen plays colors from white to salmon pink and mossy green to golden yellow at the termination. While the lower part is quite dark and needs strong light from the back, the upper third shows lovely open colors. At the front you can see some associated white albite adding even more to the beauty of this great piece. The main crystal has a unusually sharp and very well developed termination with great luster. You will not find any damage here, even the more fragile albite is in perfect condition!
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This is an exceptionally sculpturesque titanite specimen from a new find by Hannes and Gerhard Hofer. Dozens if not hundreds of sparkling green titanite crystals are richly crowded on this fabulous floater specimen! Sharp, bright and gemmy and with beautiful yellowish green color! The matrix is a filigree structure of white adularia with some metallic green chlorite. The "head" part, a rather fragile structure, is stabilized to make sure it doesn't break off. Overall there is only some insignificant contacts on the backside, no visible damage. It is one of the very best pieces of the find and really excellent in composition and quality!
Hocharnwand, Hohe Tauern, Carinthia, Austria
Size: 52 x 30 x 13 cm
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With a total length of 52 cm this rock coverend in highest quality smoky quartz is downright spectacular!
Found around the year 1984 by Georg Kandutsch, the so called "Eiskluft" (German for ice-cleft) at the Hocharn west slope counts as one of the very few, most important smoky quartz finds of the Eastern Alps! While in Switzerland this mineral is relatively common, smoky quartz finds in the Eastern Alps are almost impossibly rare and highly coveted!
The specimens of this find have been secured deep inside a narrow cleft, high up on the mountains side, hidden in plain ice. Retrieving the quartz under harshest, life-threatening conditions, roped up and with propane burners, was unimaginably dangerous, difficult and demanding!
Struck with awe we now present this exceptional specimen that is one of just around 5 comparable pieces.
With supreme quality, intriguing crystal development, richness of detail and monumental size this specimen is just mindblowing overall!
The largest crystal of the piece is 10 cm large and incredibly beautyfully developed with stepped growth, razor-sharp edges and supurb luster!
Incredibly, for a piece of such dramatic size, it is a complete floater, crystallized all around and in very best condition. Small ankerite crystals around the periphery add to the total package that is already bursting with details. Absolutely fantastic in person!
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This epidote is an especially fine specimen that strikes with excellent quality and aesthetics alike! The very sculptural, fragile epidote is set on a small matrix of snow-white albite which adds much to the already striking aesthetics of this piece! There is no damage anywhere. Even the smallest, most fragile epidote needles are full intact. The fan-shaped epdiote clusters appear exceptionally attractive and make this a very much unique specimen of best quality and aesthetics from this intriguing recent find!
Zinggenstock, Grimsel area, Hasli valley, Berner Oberland, Switzerland
Size: 9.6 x 8 x 4 cm
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This superb combination of smoky quartz and pink fluorite on matrix is completely undamaged and not repaired! The matrix is white and covered in small smoky quartz crystals. Upon this lovely matrix stands a single smoky quartz crystal, 5.6 cm long, clear, lustous and flawless save for one tiny chip that is but only visible from the back. On the right side of the piece, prominently situated at the top, is a single pink fluorite octahedron. It is clear inside with a frosted, nicely modified surface and sits very freely on the quartz. The whole piece is very well balanced and appealing in person!
Schwarze Wand, Hollersbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 3.2 x 3.2 x 1.8 cm
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Lovely little specimen from this highly coveted locale! It is richly covered in deep red hessonites of sparkling luster, associated with green cliochlore! The largest crystals are up to 8 mm in diameter which is a significant size for the locale. A rare and definitely beautiful specimen of Alpine garnet!
Riedingsee, Weißeck, Lungau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 15.3 x 11.4 x 8.1 cm
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Beautiful pastel green fluorite cubes are crowded all over this limestone matrix. The crystals are bright and limpid with lustrous faces. The largest fluorites are up to 1.6 cm on edge. There is hardly any abrasions on the main view but contacts around the periphery are present. In between the crystals you can see some free patches of matrix which lets you relate to the locality and the mother rock. Very attractive, showy and special from this admired locale!
Riedingsee, Weißeck, Lungau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 10.3 x 10.3 x 6.2 cm
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A perfect floater of stacked green fluorite cubes that shows exceptionally good luster! The 3-dimensional shape is composed of countless transparent fluorites, grown upon each other. At the bottom you can see where the piece detached from the matrix but it's all crystallized and covered with some yellowish crust. The whole thing is without damage. A distinctly 3-dimensional specimen from this classic locale!
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Hematita is better known for its alexandrite appearance, but in recent years some very fine topaz finds have been done. This specimen has the straight and sharp frame of a cut gem, with a limpid body that has only very few internal cracks. The surface is highly lustrous and shows a lovely structure. With some contacts and minimal edge-wear this piece is not perfect but in very good condition still and of high quality and aesthetics!
Tormiq valley, Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Size: 4.2 x 2.7 x 0.4 cm
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Epidote from the Alpine type clefts of Pakistan are a well known species that impresses with gemmy quality and a multitude of different shapes!
What catches the eye is the great transparency and the delicate character. The almost two-dimensional specimen is nicely shaped, virtually flawless and of superb quality!
Guchab-Rodgerberg area, Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
Size: 8.8 x 7.6 x 5.5 cm
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We all know the great dioptase specimens from Tsumeb which entered the market in the 1970s. But this specimen is much older as the enclosed label from the collector Russel Jones indicates who optained the piece in 1939, when Tsumeb was still unknown. This specimen is a beautiful small cabinet piece by any standard, no matter where it is from. It has sharp crystals to 1.2 cm smothering a matrix coated with calcite. The crystals show blueish green color and sparkling luster, nicely contrasted against the white calcite and quartz coated matrix. Some damage is undeniable but not distractive on an old classic like this!
Berbes Mining area, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Size: 7.8 x 6.8 x 4.8 cm
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Another fluorite of high quality in combination with white quartz and barite! The piece is looking gorgeous from the front! Though, the crystal has some cleaves in the back, which is luckily not visible from the front! Therefore the piece is much lower priced and cheap for what it looks like! Very nice in person.