Andradite Garnet (excellent specimen) (ex Franceso Bedogne Collection)

Item Description

This is a wonderful display specimen of the beloved and hard to find Andradite Garnets from Ocna de Fier (Vasko), Romania. Typically the specimens I've seen feature smaller crystals with a tint of green or red, but this piece hosts large crystals (for the locality) that are nearly jet-black ("Melanite" Garnet). The crystals measure up to 2.6 cm and show textbook dodecahedral form with beautiful trapezohedral modifications and smooth, glistening luster. Overall, the piece is in superb condition, with only a few nicks that I can see on the display side, but largely undamaged. A great display specimen of this hard to find material, and a very worthwhile pickup for any Garnet collector. From the worldwide collection of famed Italian mineral collector, field collector and author, Francesco Bedogne of Sondrio, Italy. Bedogne wrote dozens of articles and several books about the mineralogy of Italian Alpine localities such as Val Bregaglia, Val Masino, Val Codera, Val Spluga, Valtellina and the famous Val Malenco. He was also the founder of the Valtellinese Mineralogical Institute.