Mixed Minerals
Amertal, Felbertal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5.1 x 4.1 x 4 cm
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This is in fact a brilliant piece of Alpine titanite on matrix. It might not be the kind of "textbook" composition most people are into nowadays, but then this in nature and what incredibly beautiful crystals nature is able to yield! The main titanite is embedded in grey-white adularia, is 2.4 cm long and doubly terminated. The color is a mossy green but gets amber-brown to the terminations. A stunning twin crystal, nicely presented on a characteristic Alpine matrix. Further to the right is a side-crystal that looks just like a smaller version of the main crystal. All over this specimen is nicely crystallized and free of any damage - only some contacts at the backside. A natural piece of highest quality!
Mohmand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Size: 6 x 5 x 3.3 cm
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Two very well developed apatite crystals are stacked upon each other, distinctively showing the hexagonal crystal shape with sharp-edged bevels. Both crystals are glassy and in best shape, with beautiful hexagonal surface structures. One major feature of this apatite is the uncommon color which is a light yet definitely lovely violet that gives way to a darker greenish towards the right side, where byssolite inclusions reach into the crystals. This right side is generally rougher - maybe originally contacted - but all crystallized and perfect. An outstanding piece of great quality and aesthetics!
Laghman Province, Nuristan , Afghanistan
Size: 6 x 1.1 x 1.1 cm
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This tourmaline from Afghanistan is of highest quality, gemmy, limpid and lustrous. The color is a slight blue with a pink termination that is flawless and perfectly modified, showing nine sharp faces. This is a textbook crystal of exceptional elegance and beauty!
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A number of colorful tourmalines are cluttered across the front face of a translucent pyramidal quartz crystal. With this rather chaotic look it might not be for everyone but it definitely is a rewarding specimen that features unusual aesthetics and high quality tourmalines! Especially the two larger crystals impress with brilliance and gemmyness and bright colors! Adding some light brings out the deep emerald green core, the gemmy yellowish zone and the bright strawberry red towards the termination.
There are a couple of repairs but all main crystals are complete and in very fine condition.
Huanzala Mine, Huallanca, Bolognesi Province, Áncash, Peru
Size: 11.8 x 11 x 8.4 cm
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The heavy matrix of modified octahedral galena shows excellent metallic luster and sharp crystals up to 2.4 cm in diameter, associated with chalcopyrite and smaller white chalcite. Atop this towering matrix stand several white calcite scalenohedrons up to 5.5 cm long. The outer layer of these crystals is partly transparent and allows a view to the white translucent phantom that lies around 3 mm below the surface. All main crystals are in perfect condition, only the matrix shows some contacts at the back. This is an imposing piece of good quality all around!
Berbes Mining area, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Size: 7.6 x 6.6 x 2.8 cm
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Another piece of high quality and great aesthetics! The color is ver nice and more reddish in person!
NEAT Tunnel, Central St Gotthard Massif, Leventina, Ticino, Switzerland
Size: 8.6 x 4.3 x 2.3 cm
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Anhydrite is for sure one of the most desired mineral species from Switzerland due to its extreme rareness! This specimen is a near-perfect floater that is absolutely remarkable! It is a single crystal of impresive size. The surface is partly covered in a mix of small anhydrite and metallic hematite. The anhydrite shows top inner quality that needs only very little illumination to show its clarity and the slighly violet color. The whole piece is in just excellent condition with only very minimal issues on small side-crystals at the backside. An ansolutely amazing specimen of this rare mineral!
Paprok, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan
Size: 8.1 x 5.2 x 2.7 cm
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This cluster of basically two doubly terminated tourmaline crystals is a textbook example for the kind of unusual aesthetics that stands out from the crowd! In fact this specimen is a complete and flawless floater that features brilliant tourmaline on a base of blocky feldspar and lovely sparkling cleavelandite. While the combination is stunning for sure, the main thing is the tourmalines that strike with best luster, attractively developed stepped growth and gemmy green color! Even at room light illumination the open color is bright and fresh. Interesting enough the two crystals show different color development. Besides the green main color one crystal changes to white while the upper, more compact crystal has a pinkish red lower termination. All this sums up to an unusual and brilliant specimen of gorgeous aesthetics! No repair, no restoration, just perfect!
Berbes Mining area, Ribadesella, Asturias, Spain
Size: 23 x 11.7 x 7 cm
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This is a phantastic specimen with a group of deep purple fluorites on a matrix covered by yellowish quartz. Beautiful in person!
Tormiq valley, Haramosh Mts., Skardu District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Size: 4.7 x 3.9 x 1.1 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!
The main crystal is a thick and meaty one with a sharp and well defined termination. It is completely gemmy with a "thread" running through the bottom and combining it with some associated side-crystals. The condition is very good with only minimal abrasions.
Ras Koh Mts., Kharan, Balochistan, Pakistan
Size: 6.9 x 4.2 x 3.2 cm
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Bow ties, stacked upon bow ties, constructing a sweeping sculpture of superb luster and intriguing aesthetics! The epidote aggregates are highly lustrous, jet black shapes that are very much characteristic for a recent find of this unique type of epidote! This unusually fine specimen is a complete floater without any damage all around. The backside is marked by some white calcite. While this calcite is only peripherally visible from the front, it adds a certain touch, emphasizes the outline and adds some contrast. Stunning aesthetics and very best quality are piled up to construct this fabulous exemplar of bow tie epidote!
Pampa Blanca, Huancavelica Department, Peru
Size: 10.6 x 7.9 x 6.2 cm
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The fanning crystals of this specimen are very characteristic for the locale but still, this piece is exceptional and stands out from the crowd! With over 10 cm in hight it’s save from getting lost in a crowded showcase, especially as the quality of the epidote really catches the eye! Superb luster on all sides, sharp terminations and a sweeping architecture make this specimen special. Some associated white calcite contrasts with the deep forest green color of the epidote! While some of the epidotes show contacts, none of them are freshly broken and seems to be re-healed. Overall the condition is superb with no actual damage anywhere around! As you can very well see in our video, the backside is not even a real backside, it’s way too beautiful for that! A 360° beautiful specimen that is highly appealing in person!