Alpine Treasures 20
Gamsmutter, Habach Valley, Hohe Tauern, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 4 x 3.4 x 2.1
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A miniature floater specimen of olive-green titanite on a sparkling, crystallized feldspar matrix! The largest main crystal, protruding from the very center of the matrix, is a little over 2 cm long, gemmy, lustrous and with a nice green to brown coloring. It has a 1 mm ding on the back but apart from this, the specimen is in absolutely best condition! A lovely little stunner from Habach Valley!
Söllenkar, Krimmlertal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 5 x 2.6 x 1.5
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It is one of those pieces that instantly casts a spell over the beholder! It was found around 1990 by Panzl, Stöckl and Stockmaier and is still one of the best clusters ever to be found on the Söllnerkar! As a perfect floater it is flawless all around and strikes with its unusually thick epidote crystals, the central crystal being 1.2 cm thick! All crystals are sharp, highly lustrous and easily lit with backlight that draws out the inherent green and brown colors! Absolutely breathtaking and charming all around!
Wiesbachrinne, Habachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 8.7 x 8.3 x 7.3
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One single smoky quartz crystal of dark brown color stands out from a piece of characteristic Habach Valley schist matrix. It is around 4 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm large and flawless. The crystal is accompanied by several smaller side-crystals of matching quality. Still, the main crystal is the unmistakable center of this specimen and dramatically draws the attention to it! This highly aesthetic specimen is from the famous find from around 1993 by Alois Steiner and Reinhard Heim, the latter of whom just recently sold the piece to us from his private collection! A unique and most attractive piece from this locale!
Schrammacher, Zillertaler Alpen, Nordtirol, Austria
Size: 9.1 x 6.4 x 4.3
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Complex pink fluorite octahedron freestanding on a base of an etched quartz crystal. No significant damage to report, backside of the fluorite was attached to the cleft wall but is fully rehealed.
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This is an outstanding etched quartz specimen with impressive size that shows exceptionally rich structure, color and just beautiful details! The unusual etched shape reveals its secrets when you turn the piece around (go ahead and watch our video for a look on this aspect). You can see on the flat prism faces, that this was once a huge single quartz crystal that only later dissolved to form this remarkable piece! That’s long-age geographic history made visible in one dramatic specimen! The quality is high, showing very good clarity and great luster. Some surface chloritisation at the back radiates dark green color throughout the whole crystal. Absolutely stunning and beautiful in person!
Arvigo, Calanca Valley, Misox, Grischun, Switzerland
Size: 2.7 x 2.1 x 1.3
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A single spray of glassy scolecite needles from the gneiss quarries of Arvigo, one of only a few Alpine sources for this mineral. The crystals are transparent and lustrous and in overall very good condition. The scolecite is associated with some greenish prehnite. A nice and attractive little rarity from the Swiss/Italian border.
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Unlike many known fluorite specimens from Weißeck this fluorite shows very best luster. It was found at the so called Gipfelkluft (German for peak-cleft) where it was embedded in permanent ice which protected the surface from acidic fluids and mechanic corrosion. The result is nothing short of amazing! A single fluorite cube of intensive purple color is held by a cluster of smaller crystals which gives the impression of a matrix-piece. The main crystal is especially beautiful, showing complex structure and a deep purple color the gets darker and darker towards the center. Just mesmerizing! There is no damage, even the bottom is fully crystallized and perfect! A fantastic piece from this coveted locale!
Amertal, Felbertal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 9.9 x 4.6 x 3.9
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Clarity, shape and luster. This brilliant skeletal quartz is absolutely water-clear, free of internal cracks, beautifully etched and completely flawless all around. It stands like a monument, ponderous and strong yet filigree and full of lovely details. The shape of this crystal still resembles the original hexagonal quartz prism but gets more and more skeletal to the tip. The bottom is fully crystallized as well and shows incredulous surface structure. While most known skeletal quartz of comparable quality are from Habach Valley, this very specimen has been found in Felbertal, making it even more valuable to collectors. This is truly one of a kind, majestetic and marvelous!
Goldbergspitze, Hohe Tauern, Raurisertal, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 11.2 x 7.4 x 6.3
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Every collector of Rauris minerals has the same problem: It's almost impossible to get a good smoky quartz from this region. Especially one that shows such dark brown color as this very specimen we have here! The single dominant smoky quartz is very well developed and clear at the insice - with imperfections and inclusions, but which is acceptable on a rare specimen like this. The surface shows especially nice luster at the front with striations and sharp edges. The termination is flawless and sharp! On the backside there are several intergrown sidy-crystals which show contacts yet fortunately the main view is in very best shape! An outstanding and exceedingly rare specimen from the Rauris valley!
Fibbia, Fontana, Central St. Gotthard Massif, Ticino, Switzerland
Size: 9.6 x 7.5 x 4.3
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This iron-rose cluster is a massy piece of high quality. The roses are neatly structured and hold some rutile at the surface. Despite the very fine structure, those nested roses are very thick and show sparkling luster. At the back and the bottom of the specimen you find some matrix, which nicely adds contrast to the overall beauty. A fine piece of imposing size and top quality alike.
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The so called "Plattenbrüche" - Kaiserer and Lohning quarry - are source of a number of excellent Alpine tourmaline specimens. The crystals on our specimen are 3-dimensionally arranged and show a rich fire-red color, especially at the thinner needles. Some associated white calcite adds contrast to the otherwise dark, yet very much sparkling specimen. The backside also features some rust-red rutile. The condition is overall fine with some contacts but no actual damage. This is doubtlessly a superb piece of Alpine tourmaline!
Saurüssel, Zemmgrund, Zillertaler Alpen, Nordtirol, Austria
Size: 11.2 x 7.7 x 5.5
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Several quartz crystals of varied size with beautiful inclusions on a contrasting white feldspar matrix form a very natural and attractive specimen. Micro-crystals of ankerite, hematite and rutile add even more color and live to this impressive specimen. The whole piece is free of damage the matrix is all naturally broken. 3-dimensionally appealing in person!