Pyromorphite & Mottramite on Smithsonite (RARE - old) Kay Robertson Coll.

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
Small Cabinet, 6.0 x 3.8 x 3.2 cm
Start Time: 06/29/2017 6:30:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 07/06/2017 6:30:54 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

Lustrous, translucent, light brown, classic hexagonal pyromorphite prisms, to 6 mm, are richly peppered on all sides of the sculptural matrix of intergrown spherical aggregates of smithsonite rhombs. Pyromorphite is VERY RARE from famed Tsumeb and was found only in the old Upper Oxidized Zone. A patch of sparkly apple-green mottramite adds color and pizzazz. Exceptional, rich and rare old-time combination material from the Kay Robertson Collection # 8922. She acquired this old combination rarity in Tucson in 1980 from an unknown person. Her labels indicate, that there are also unknown pseudomorphs on the piece. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). There are over 11,000 mineral specimen photographs in the MINDAT Tsumeb photo gallery, but ONLY two pyromorphite photos! An essentially unique rich combination specimen. Value?? A minimum of $750 would be fair we estimate.

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