Orpiment on Calcite
stock #4.2-311
Shimen (Jiepiayu) Mine, Shimen County, Changde Prefecture
Hunan Province,
China
6.4 x 5.3 x 4.2 CM (cabinet)
price: $230
Worldwide mix summer
Orange to yellow Orpiment crystals reaching 3.3 CM on a matrix of Calcite and Orpiment. Vintage 2004, from the once prolific finds at the Shimen mine, these have now disappeared from the market. This matrix has a crack that seems to be stable but is noted as these are very delicate specimens. The Orpiment crystals tend to be a darker red-orange close to the terminations, and are translucent in strong light. Now that the mine is closed these are recognized as modern classics.
Elbaite -unusual color
stock #AX-7-(1144)
Himalaya Mine, Gem Hill,Mesa Grande District, San Diego County
California,
United States
1.8 x .6 x .7 CM (thumbnail)
price: $130
Worldwide mix summer
A cute Tourmaline thumbnail ex Larry White collection that has a very unusual color and becomes colorless when rotated in polarized light. This is undamaged and very transparent (the photos do not show the transparency well). A nice, glassy little gem crystal that is very unusual for the locale.
Uvarovite -Type locale
stock #18-AE-223
Saranovskii Mine, Saranovskaya, Permskaya Oblast, Middle Urals
Urals Region,
Russia
9.5 x 8 x 1.4 CM (cabinet)
price: $330
Worldwide mix summer
Large, densely crystallized plate of very bright green Uvarovites from the classic original locality in the Urals. Intense color (this is a true Chromian Garnet) and these crystals are very sharp, distinct and glassy. A sizable, eycatching piece, this is sawn on the backside where it was collected, the sawn area is not visible on display. Uvarovites are one of the rarest Garnets, and only a few places have ever produced any of quality.
