Fluorite on Quartz
stock #23.FC-003
Les Beix Mine, Riom, Puy-de-Dome
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
5 x 4.4 x 2.8 CM (miniature)
price: $660
Spring 23
Fine blue cubes clustered on a contrasting light yellow matrix makes a pleasing contrast. An excellent French Fluorite in excellent condition, the faces of the cubes have a slightly satin luster. The interiors of the cubes are translucent, milky and glow very well when backlit (these photos are not backlit). Les Beix is a modern classic locality with a great reputation for its wide range of Fluorite, the blue being the most sought-after. The mine flooded forever in 1977, these better quality Fluorites have become quite rare on the market.
Siderite and Quartz - French classic
stock #16.1-211
Allevard, Grenoble, Isère
Rhone-Alpes,
France
11.3 x 8.4 x 6.3 CM (cabinet)
price: $1750
Spring 23
Large and fine crystals of translucent greenish-brown Siderite sprinkled with glass clear Quartz crystals. A European classic in excellent condition. This is a super quality older specimen formerly in the collections of Charles Noll, Jimmie DuFoe and the Seaman Museum. It seems to have come from other older collections, it has a painted collection number and an antique museum type drilled mounting hole on the backside. A very choice display grade piece with crystals over 4.4 CM in outstanding condition. Allevard is an ancient mining area (dating back to the 1500's) it was once the greatest source of world-class Siderites and is one of the great French classic locales. This specimen shows that quality well.
Pyromorphite
stock #21.FC-034
Saint-Salvy Mine, Saint-Salvy-de-la-Balme, Tarn
Occitanie,
France
8 x 7.2 x 5.5 CM (cabinet)
price: $420
Spring 23
Classic French Pyromorphite with good coverage, color and sharp acicular crystals. This large matrix has both vugs and surface coverings of green Pyromorphite on all sides, the red-brown matrix makes a good contrast with the spiky green Pyros. In fine condition and with at least two different habits of crystals, the majority being the pointed termination type.
Axinite (Ferroaxinite)
stock #22.1-440
Le Bourg dOisans, Grenoble, Isere
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
7.4 x 4.8 x 4.2 CM (cabinet)
price: $330
Fall 22
Classic old specimen of Axinite from the French Isère region at Bourg-d'Oisans. The largest crystals are over 2.5 cm and have some very glassy faces. The matrix is mostly Axinite as well with just a little Quartz. There are smaller crystals, contacts and some broken edges so this is not for perfectionists but it is still a very nice example of this famed locality. Ex John Roger Mitchell collection, his label notes he obtained this in 1983.
Malachite after Azurite - classic locality
stock #12.1-312
Chessy Copper Mines, Chessy-les Mines, Villefranche-sur-Saone, Rhone
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
5.4 x 4.7 x 2.8 CM (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $360
Fall 22
From the famed old locality of Chessy-les-Mines (France), this is a well-defined pseudomorph. There are also some unaltered small crystals of Azurite and sprays of primary Malachite as well. The matrix is the classic sandy rock with micro bits of Cuprite. The form is distinctive and for knowledgeable collectors this is instantly recognized. The front side in is good condition, the back side is contacted but not visible from the front.
A very fine Bournonite crystal well-perched on a Barite crystal matrix. The Bournonite is sharp, complete, undamaged and very lustrous, 2.5 CM across showing classic twinning on the edges. In person the striations on the flat face are very distinct and reflect light well. It is especially rare to have the Bournonite so well-exposed, pristine and brilliantly metallic. Ex. Eric Asselborn collection. He notes this is from Le Reservoir find at Saint-Laurent-le-Minier. This is a less well-known locality which is some distance from the well-known Les Malines area. This zone is famed for the best Bournonites of France and some of the best in the world.
Azurite pseudomorph after Tetrahedrite - classic French
stock #22.1-193
La Guardette, (Giraud) Villard-Notre Dame, Grenoble, Isere
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
3.3 x 3.3 x 2.3 CM (small miniature/ large thumbnail (toenail))
price: $900
Post Tucson 2022
Great form and intense color on this toenail sized pseudo. The original crystals of Tetrahedrite are very distinct, sharp and well-defined. The replacement by royal blue Azurite seems to be fully complete. An ancient locality dating back to the 1700's, the finds at Le Gardette are unique in the mineral world and prized by advanced collectors for good reasons. They are rare, beautiful and unique classics.
Fluorite - French, zoned crystals
stock #21.1-566
Cote Rousse Quarry, Vensat. Riom, Puy-du-Dome
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
France
4.5 x 4.1 x 1.8 CM (miniature)
price: $270
Post Tucson 2022
A pretty miniature with excellent color, luster and definition. The crystals are mostly a good orange color and show a thin phantom line in contrasting purple. By naked eye this looks to be in fine undamaged condition but magnification shows some very tiny cleaves that need to be mentioned. A less well-known French locality, the Cote Rousse Quarry, this is an choice small example of well-defined Fluorite phantoms.
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