Hundreds of thin stibnite needles are exploding in all directions, held together only by sparkling white quartz that fills the gaps and competes with the stibnite in beauty and charm. Herja is well known for its hedgehog type stibnite specimens but this combination with contrasting quartz is a rare sight and stunningly beautiful at that. Watch our video for a better impression of this unusual item!
Three characteristic prase crystals are nicely arranged with some hematite attached to the leftmost crystal. At first glance that crystal might look damaged but in fact that’s just because of the intergrown hematite which caused the growth irregularity. The quartz itself is completely undamaged. The hematite at the very left is a half developed iron rose. But also this is not broken but covered in some iron oxide. It's all natural and fine.
This single euclase crystal is a colorless, vitreous specimen with a well defined and flawless termination. The luster is brilliant all around, the transparency varies throughout the crystal. All in all this is a charming classic of remarkable size in great condition! Have a look on our video for a better impression on the quality!
A rich display of black neptunite on white natrolite, associated with blue benitoite, characteristic for the popular Dallas Gem Mine. The neptunite is perfectly sharp, flawless and jet-black with some blood-red patches. The benitonite is scattered between the neptunite, its largest representative reaches 1.1 cm but is contacted at the edge of the display face. A highly appealing, catchy and sharp paragenesis from the worlds most famous locale for neptunite and benitonite. This specimen has been with the Vienna based collector Walter Knobloch for many years and is now on display again!
This opal specimen is out of a unique 2014 find that yielded a small number of these rare opal variety. The striking turquoise Paraiba-color is caused by copper and catches the eye instantly. Analysis identified this mineral as the extremely rare tridymite crystobalite opal (Opal-CT).The opal is grown over a shard of glassy smoky quartz. The periphery is broken - quartz as well as opal - but considering the extreme rareness of this material this is unavoidable. A very rewarding specimen from a unique find!
Large and very precisely defined pyrite crystals are beautifully arranged on this heavy specimen. The pyrite shows best golden luster and very nice bevells and striations all over. The larger main crystals are set on a landscape of smaller cubes which makes for an elegant mix. There is no matrix per se, only massive pyrite and smaller crystallized pyrite at the bottom of the specimen. A stunning piece of high quality pyrite in aesthetic composition!
Wow, what an explosion of pure aesthetics combined with highest quality and impressive size! This piece is a real eye-catcher in any possible showcase. Being from an older find from about 15 years ago, this was by far the best of its pocket. Sure, there have been other noteworthy pieces but no combination of this caliber. Exeptionally thick, lustrous hübnerite crystals are elegantly protruding from a spectacular pink fluorite matrix like lighthouses on a rock, surrounded by sparkling white quartz needles. The hübnerite is black with metallic luster, which makes a fantastic contrast to the pink and white matrix. This piece is a floater, a mesmerizing 3-dimensional landscape that is completely free of damage or any other imperfections. Price on request
This wild and chaotic beauty convinces with high quality quartz composed in a piece of striking outline and a lovely 3-dimensional character. Also the backside of this matrix-piece is covered in sparkling crystals with some additional bladed calcite. A brilliant piece with just minor chips but in generally very good condition. For a better view on all of its qualities, please watch the video!
Very characteristic for Swiss Alps this piece shows smoky quartz in combination with white adularia on a rock-matrix. Except for some peripheral contacts there is no damage to report. The quartz is all clear and sharp, superbly lustrous and comes in both, the right-handed and the left-handed variant. Its color is a bit paler than on the picture, you might want to check the video for that aspect. This is a charming Alpine specimen from the not so common Aletsch Glacier!
A very distinctly defined specimen of hematite on adularia that comes as an all complete floater! The hematite is a complex iron rose that presents a well formed hexagon, composed of countless tabular hematite petals. The luster is good, not overwhelming. As a very much contrasting matrix the adularia is similarly well developed, snow white but with some hematite littered across its surface. A highly aesthetic specimen in thumbnail size.
Who doesn't know the unique emerald from Habach Valley? This silvery piece of characteristic mica schist holds one 1 cm long and 0.5 cm thick translucent emerald crystal of saturated water green color. This might not be the most spectacular piece ever found but the 3-dimensional elegant matrix and the flawless, prominent crystal make a fine combination and a very typical collection piece for this famous Austrian locale!
The shape of this quartz specimen reminds me of the Swiss Alps' rugged landscape. The combination of excellent quartz crystals on a characteristic matrix with accessory minerals and accentuating iron oxide provides a nice, favorably chaotic picture. Especially the main crystal is impressive: glassy, nicely structured, lustrous and flawless. An unusual and very much 3-dimensional piece.