WEEKLY MINERAL & GEM AUCTIONS!

Another completely random mix of species, locations, and historic oddities, spanning acquisitions we made between the early 2000s and now. We're offering first sight of many new specimens from the lifelong collections of: Dr. Bob Reynolds, long the curator at the San Bernardino County Museum; and Chet Lemanski (Lemanskiite and MINDAT fame). So many items in these collections we simply never see on the market today – and yet here they are, up for auction! These are NOT show leftovers, but are being released FIRST to the internet. We have added a selection of tourmalines and fluorescents, as well.  
Highlights:
1. Rare SAPPHIRE from Russia
2. TOURMALINES
3. Classic old Illinois QUARTZ & FLUORITE
4. Large ALMANDINE plate from Austria
5. Franklin fluorescents
6. CALCITES from the Rob Lavinsky Calcite Collection
7. Excellent TANZANITE and VANADINITE specimens
8. NEW FINDS of AQUAMARINE and COPPER
9. Superb Russian DATOLITE and CALCITE from the Ed David Collection

We have a great selection this week, featuring plenty of attractive, fine quality, classic, contemporary, rare and unusual specimens. Look for new discoveries that we picked up at shows or direct from the source. We also have plenty of pieces from various collections that we've purchased over the last year or so including David Burgess, Bob Reynolds, Chet Lemanski, Dave Bergman and more ! You might even find the occasional fossil, lapidary or gem item from time to time. Look here for the not so typical mineral specimens along with plenty of your favorites. We don't just offer the "standard 20 species", but an eclectic mix of specimens that appeal to everybody!
Some of the highlights from this week’s auction include:
1. Doubly-terminated TOURMALINE from the Himalaya Mine, California (ex Dave Bergman Collection)
2. "Leaf" GOLD on QUARTZ from the Oriental Mine, California
3. Fine LINARITE with CALEDONITE from the Reward Mine, California
4. Beautiful unique PURPLE QUARTZ from Indonesia
5. Classic BOURNONITE from the Herodsfoot Mine, Cornwall, England
6. Attractive rarely seen matrix "FADEN" QUARTZ from Pakistan
7. Rarely seen MILLERITE with SIEGENITE from the Eugenia Mine, Spain
8. Wonderful WIRE SILVER specimen from the Beaverdell, British Columbia, Canada
9. Hard to find MOLYBDENITE with RHODOCHROSITE from the Henderson Mine, Colorado
10. Rarities include: ZINC-BEARING OLIVENITE, ANDORITE, VAUXITE, PARAVAUXITE and GOLDMANITE

Continuing with our series of gem auctions, we are offering a selection of fine quality gemstones that we acquired from the inventory of a respected wholesaler with decades of experience in the gem business.
You will find a wonderful mix of well-known, rare, unique and collector quality gems with reserve bids at $10. Pay close attention to the quality in these auctions, as all of the stones are well-cut (many have unique custom cuts) and are not your typical "jewelry store" material. There are many gems in these auctions that one rarely sees on the market, and even the more common material is better than what you'll find in a lot of other venues.

We are proud to offer on behalf of the family estate, the full collection of the late Judge Francis Allegra, noted collector, true friend to minerals, and MR legal columnist. Fran collected rocks since he was a child growing up in Cleveland and then collected minerals once he discovered the world of fine minerals as an art and an asset. He was very careful and deliberate in his acquisition strategy and generally only bought one good specimen each year, especially strongly from the late-1990s through 2010. The core value of his collection is therefore in classics that came out in those years and slightly earlier, including a very significant Dalnegorsk suite of specimens assembled over those decades. Interestingly, this was the most secure mineral collection outside of the Smithsonian in the Washington DC area. This collection, these same pieces you see here, was located in his office in the old red brick judicial building, that looked right across the lawn into the White House. I would venture that more congressman and high-level officials of the US government have seen this collection, than any other private mineral collection, over the years. Fran deserves more of a legacy then we can give it in the space here, so after you look at the auction please feel free to go to irocks.com/allegra and read the blog and article we have posted about him.