Barite (large doubly-terminated crystal) (old classic) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

A truly eye-catching, beautiful and aesthetic display specimen of the classic old time Barites from Villamassargia in Sardinia. The piece is highlighted by a stellar, doubly-terminated 13.3 cm long crystal with a classic, gorgeous saturated golden hue and excellent "chisel"-shaped terminations sitting atop a group of sharp, well-formed, very lustrous, gemmy, rich honey-gold colored crystals of Barite and minor matrix. One corner of the main Barite crystal is contacted, but it is otherwise in fine condition. A tremendous example of thes well-known and sought after Barites. Specimen weight is 760 grams. Valued in the inventory at $2,500-$3,000. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #15999CL, and a former Taldino Testone specimen. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.