Tourmaline ("Rubellite") (ex Paul Zerfass Collection)

Item Description

While Tourmaline is reported from Ouro Preto, I can't say that I remember seeing a specimen of Rubellite from this famous Imperial Topaz locality. With that said, this could be a case of poor information given, and simply copied without knowing where it came from. I don't blame the collector, I would say that whomever sold him the specimen could be the issue. The piece could be from any number of Brazilian Tourmaline localities. Honestly at first glance, I almost mistook it for a Russian Tourmaline from Malkhan. The combination of pink / orange and "tea" colors inside the crystals are unusual for Brazil. Overall, the piece is in good shape, though a few minor imperfections can be seen here and there. The piece is very gemmy when backlit, which is my favorite way to view it. From the collection of the long time, beloved, well-known French field collector, Paul Zerfass (Collection #306). Zerfass built this worldwide collection over nearly 50 years, many of which were personally collected. A biography featuring specimens from his collection (along with his face on the cover) is in the May - June 2017 issue of French mineral magazine, Le Regne Mineral. We have a .pdf copy of the article for anybody interested in reading it (though it's mostly in French). Just drop us a line and know that you'd like to have a copy.