Quartz with Epidote inclusions (rare) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Val Cavrein, Val Russein, Vorderrheintal, Grischun (Grisons), Switzerland
Small Cabinet, 5.3 x 4.2 x 3.2 cm
Start Time: 03/21/2019 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 03/28/2019 6:49:54 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

A really hard to find Swiss Alpine association specimen! Although Epidote is not necessarily rare from the European Alps, I can't remember seeing mnay pieces like this. The piece is primarily a sharp, lustrous, single, GEMMY, colorless, hexagonal prism of Quartz with a few accenting Quartz crystals near the base, but if you look at the center of the main crystal, you'll see a single, sharp, gemmy, olive oil green colored crystal of Epidote completely frozen inside! This is honestly the first specimen that I can remember from Switzerland featuring Epidote frozen inside Quartz like this! The piece itself is good quality, but there are a few nicks around the termination of the main Quartz crystal, along with a separation mark on the base where it was removed from the pocket. If you collect Alpine minerals, worldwide Quartz or "inclusion" specimens, you can't afford to miss out on this old rare and attractive piece from Switzerland. Interestingly, Swiss minerals tend to have a higher value on the market compared to their Italian, French and Austrian counterparts. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#10816). Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017).

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