Carrollite on Dolomite (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

These are true classics from the Congo, and are the best pieces are finest examples of the species ever seen. Carrollite is a rare copper cobalt nickel sulfide, and until the late 1990s, there were very few good crystallized examples of the species around, let alone showy matrix pieces like this. This full sized miniature hosts a 1.3 cm modified octahedral crystal of Carrollite with metallic silver luster and sharp crystal faces sitting on Dolomite (not Calcite) matrix. The back edge of the crystal has an indentation where either another Carrollite once grew, or possibly some Dolomite, but it seems as though it's partially recrystallized, so it's not a complete crystal, but I wouldn't call it damaged either. It just has an interrupted / incomplete growth that partially healed itself. I don't see any real damage of note, and the piece is quite showy as you can see from the photos. These are world-class examples of Carrollite, and since they are disappearing from the market, don't miss out on your chance to pick up a nice matrix display piece for a good price. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016). David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered. The piece is also accompanied by a label from noted rare species dealer Josef Vajdak along with what appears to be a Cal Graeber label.