Gem Smoky Quartz w/ Gwindel (famous find 1960s!) ex Ernst Rufibach

Rufibach cleft, Vorderer Zinggenstock, Grimsel area, Hasli Valley, Bern, Switzerland
Small Cabinet, 8.8 x 7.4 x 5.2 cm
Start Time: 12/10/2017 7:00:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 12/14/2017 6:38:49 pm (CST)
Auction Closed

Item Description

A striking, sculptural and exceptional smoky quartz from a famous large Swiss find in 1966. The gem, water-clear, very glassy quartz has fine smoky color. A 6.8 cm sharply terminated smoky is dramatically set in front of a classic doubly terminated twisted Gwindel. These are highly desirable and uncommon Alpine classics featuring both a fine twisted gwindel and a substantial sharply terminated smoky. The outstanding frontal display view is in great shape. The upper portions of the gwindel and smoky pristine. Contacting along the base of the front, where other crystals once lay is noted, but there is no damage, per se. The lower left corner of the gwindel is cleaved. Light bruising on the back of the multiple tips to the gwindel and more contacting, with very little actual damage, is noted, but this is out-of-sight from the front (so it LOOKS like a $5000-plus piece, but with the back irregularity, is not). A sawed base dramatically enhances the display quality as it sits nicely upright, now. The Rufibach cleft find is named after the two strahler brothers who found the large pocket. The specimen is from the The Crystal Museum Guttannen (Ernst Rufibach) founded by Ernst Rufibach in 1975 in Guttannen, Switzerland. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 10345 and acquired from Ernst Rufibach in April, 1984. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). An exceptional Swiss smoky from a famous older find valued at $2000.

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