Babingtonite and Prehnite

Babingtonite occurrence, Qiaojia County, Zhaotong, Yunnan, China
Cabinet, 12.1 x 5.1 x 5.0 cm
Start Time: 11/11/2021 7:30:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 11/18/2021 7:55:00 pm (CST)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $800

Item Description

This exceptional piece is from the important Babingtonite finds of the early 2000s (about 2004-2010) at Qiaojia, Yunnan Province, and features a classic combination of Babingtonite (two generations), Prehnite and Quartz. While material is still occasionally found, the best was long in the past now. This pristine Babingtonite is desirable in many ways: These jet-black crystals have the striated, lustrous faces that help make the species so attractive, and many have exceptional, mirror-like terminations. The largest crystal is a significant 1.7 cm across. The pastel-green, botryoidal Prehnite is translucent and has very good luster on the surface. The matrix is composed of the first generation of Babingtonites - smaller crystals with striking luster, with a small amount of Quartz is mixed in. Babingtonites from Qiaojia have proven to be among the world's best, if not the best, for the species, and this cabinet specimen is rich, outstanding, and aesthetic. Valued $1000-plus. Better in person, even. Note on locations - these are variously labelled as being from Sichuan (my own preferred past attribution) or Yunnan and here is what MINDAT has to say on the matter: Occurrences of excellent large babingtonite crystals and other minerals in cavities of flood basalts, which cover large parts of southern Sichuan and northeastern Yunnan provinces. A productive zone with large vugs extends for many kilometers along the Yangtze river in Qiaojia County, and similar occurrences are also found at many places in neighbouring Sichuan Province. The localities actually consist of small excavations that were mostly made by collectors. From our special collection sale, direct to auction, of choice material from the collection of Richard Rossi, East Coast collector and Mineralogical Record Fellow.

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Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$800 11/18/2021 7:49:49 pm (CST)
$775 11/18/2021 7:49:49 pm (CST)
$750 11/18/2021 7:42:50 pm (CST)
$725 11/18/2021 7:42:50 pm (CST)
$700 11/18/2021 7:36:11 pm (CST)
$675 11/18/2021 7:36:11 pm (CST)
$650 11/18/2021 7:34:42 pm (CST)
$625 11/18/2021 7:34:42 pm (CST)
$600 11/18/2021 7:25:02 pm (CST)
$575 11/18/2021 7:25:02 pm (CST)
$550 11/18/2021 7:23:58 pm (CST)
$525 11/18/2021 7:23:58 pm (CST)
$485 11/18/2021 7:23:37 pm (CST)
$475 11/18/2021 7:23:37 pm (CST)
$375 11/18/2021 6:23:31 pm (CST)
$365 11/18/2021 6:23:31 pm (CST)
$355 11/18/2021 6:23:20 pm (CST)
$345 11/18/2021 6:23:20 pm (CST)
$335 11/18/2021 6:23:08 pm (CST)
$325 11/18/2021 6:23:08 pm (CST)
$315 11/18/2021 5:16:41 pm (CST)
$305 11/18/2021 3:56:03 pm (CST)
$301 11/18/2021 3:56:03 pm (CST)
$291 11/18/2021 3:55:02 pm (CST)
$281 11/18/2021 3:55:02 pm (CST)
$265 11/18/2021 3:41:43 pm (CST)
$261 11/18/2021 3:41:43 pm (CST)
$255 11/14/2021 12:31:59 pm (CST)
$245 11/14/2021 12:31:59 pm (CST)
$235 11/12/2021 10:36:10 am (CST)
$225 11/12/2021 10:36:10 am (CST)
$185 11/12/2021 1:44:32 am (CST)
$175 11/12/2021 1:44:32 am (CST)
$20 11/11/2021 11:31:25 pm (CST)
$15 11/11/2021 11:31:25 pm (CST)
$10 11/11/2021 7:54:58 pm (CST)