Moonstone / Adularia (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Zillertal, North Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria
Toenail, 3.1 x 2.1 x 1.3 cm
Start Time: 07/20/2017 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 07/27/2017 6:48:52 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

A gemmy and hard to find thumbnail specimen of lustrous, blocky, well-formed, white to off-white colored Moonstone / Adularia from the famous Zillertal in Austria, maybe best known for its colorful and showy "Fenster" and scepter habit Amethyst specimens and deep red Almandine Garnets. This piece is one of the better examples of the material that we've had to offer in the auctions, and dates back well over 100 years to when some of the finest examples of the material were found. Please note that I've labeled this as being Adularia, which is now defined as a variety of K-Feldspar, but it was sold to me simply as Moonstone becuase it does have a slight internal iridescent "shimmer" when it's rotated in the light. The exterior luster is what I would call waxy, and almost "wet"-looking. Rare material for a locality that has produced some of the best quality Moonstones in the world. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#12474) with a beautiful old hand-written label from the collection of K. Saxlehner of Budapest. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). A beautiful and attractive old-timer from this famous locale.

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