Beryl var. Heliodor

Volodarsk-Volynskii, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine
Small Cabinet, 8.5 x 3.0 x 1.5 cm
Start Time: 04/01/2021 7:00:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 04/17/2021 7:35:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $9,149

Item Description

This item is part of a special benefit auction for the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org). Items are either deaccessions from the museum's collection or were donated by generous supporters listed below.

Auction open April 1, 2021 through April 17, 2021.

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, April 19, for payment using PayPal or credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost, or please contact brandy@mineralauctions.com if you'd like to plan on picking up items at future shows or during a stop through Dallas.


A true classic and unusually fine example for the size range, of the gem heliodors that stunned the western world when barriers fell and these started being exported as specimens in the late 1980s, when the Rices purchased their example here for the museum. While the museum retains a larger example, this is a VERY fine specimen in the size range most of us collect and love. It is GEM: It is complete, pristine, perfect 360 degrees around. This is not just a "gemmy" heliodor crystal, it is rather a "GEM CRYSTAL" in a literal sense that it is cuttable throughout. The complex patterning is mesmerizing, and only more so on close inspection. Photos are difficult, because it is so 100% transparent, and the camera has trouble focusing. 68 grams. Crystals like this are easily valued in the $10-15,000 range for this quality and perfection. While modern production does come out, they are simply not as sharp as this and, unusually, most are simply too big for the collector and have to be sold as gem rough because they are just so big and gemmy that few collectors will pay the price for what is essentially cutting rough. This size, it is much more manageable - but older and uncommon in quality. We will donate a custom lucite base to the winner, so this can stand safely and vertically for display.

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Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$9,149 04/17/2021 7:29:05 pm (CDT)
$9,099 04/17/2021 7:29:05 pm (CDT)
$9,049 04/17/2021 7:21:51 pm (CDT)
$8,999 04/17/2021 7:21:51 pm (CDT)
$8,938 04/17/2021 7:16:31 pm (CDT)
$8,888 04/17/2021 7:16:31 pm (CDT)
$8,827 04/17/2021 7:16:04 pm (CDT)
$8,777 04/17/2021 7:16:04 pm (CDT)
$8,605 04/17/2021 7:14:40 pm (CDT)
$8,555 04/17/2021 7:14:40 pm (CDT)
$8,494 04/17/2021 7:09:17 pm (CDT)
$8,444 04/17/2021 7:09:17 pm (CDT)
$8,383 04/17/2021 7:04:13 pm (CDT)
$8,333 04/17/2021 7:04:12 pm (CDT)
$8,272 04/17/2021 6:55:40 pm (CDT)
$8,222 04/17/2021 6:55:40 pm (CDT)
$8,051 04/17/2021 6:45:40 pm (CDT)
$8,001 04/17/2021 6:45:39 pm (CDT)
$7,827 04/17/2021 6:38:59 pm (CDT)
$7,777 04/17/2021 6:38:59 pm (CDT)
$7,050 04/17/2021 6:37:18 pm (CDT)
$7,000 04/17/2021 6:37:17 pm (CDT)
$6,500 04/17/2021 6:08:40 pm (CDT)
$6,450 04/17/2021 6:08:40 pm (CDT)
$6,284 04/17/2021 6:06:12 pm (CDT)
$6,234 04/17/2021 6:06:12 pm (CDT)
$6,059 04/17/2021 5:47:16 pm (CDT)
$6,009 04/17/2021 5:47:16 pm (CDT)
$5,728 04/17/2021 5:46:54 pm (CDT)
$5,678 04/17/2021 5:46:54 pm (CDT)
$5,605 04/17/2021 5:45:50 pm (CDT)
$5,555 04/17/2021 5:45:49 pm (CDT)
$5,400 04/17/2021 5:39:27 pm (CDT)
$5,350 04/17/2021 5:39:26 pm (CDT)
$5,225 04/17/2021 5:38:48 pm (CDT)
$5,175 04/17/2021 5:38:48 pm (CDT)
$5,050 04/17/2021 3:27:36 pm (CDT)
$5,000 04/17/2021 3:27:35 pm (CDT)
$4,850 04/17/2021 3:27:11 pm (CDT)
$4,800 04/17/2021 3:27:11 pm (CDT)
$4,750 04/17/2021 3:26:54 pm (CDT)
$4,700 04/17/2021 3:26:54 pm (CDT)
$4,620 04/17/2021 3:26:32 pm (CDT)
$4,570 04/17/2021 3:26:32 pm (CDT)
$4,500 04/17/2021 3:26:09 pm (CDT)
$4,450 04/17/2021 3:26:09 pm (CDT)
$4,400 04/17/2021 10:11:20 am (CDT)
$4,350 04/17/2021 10:11:20 am (CDT)
$4,300 04/17/2021 2:49:28 am (CDT)
$4,250 04/17/2021 2:49:28 am (CDT)
$3,938 04/11/2021 5:07:30 pm (CDT)
$3,888 04/11/2021 5:07:30 pm (CDT)
$3,850 04/11/2021 5:07:14 pm (CDT)
$3,800 04/11/2021 5:07:14 pm (CDT)
$3,750 04/11/2021 5:06:58 pm (CDT)
$3,700 04/11/2021 5:06:58 pm (CDT)
$3,650 04/05/2021 11:37:35 pm (CDT)
$3,600 04/05/2021 11:37:16 pm (CDT)
$3,555 04/05/2021 11:37:16 pm (CDT)
$3,293 04/04/2021 5:45:54 pm (CDT)
$3,243 04/04/2021 5:45:53 pm (CDT)
$2,550 04/02/2021 1:50:25 pm (CDT)
$2,500 04/02/2021 1:50:25 pm (CDT)
$2,150 04/02/2021 10:16:10 am (CDT)
$2,100 04/02/2021 10:16:10 am (CDT)
$2,050 04/01/2021 11:32:54 pm (CDT)
$2,000 04/01/2021 11:32:54 pm (CDT)
$1,450 04/01/2021 8:25:33 pm (CDT)
$1,400 04/01/2021 8:25:32 pm (CDT)
$1,350 04/01/2021 8:21:11 pm (CDT)
$1,300 04/01/2021 8:21:11 pm (CDT)
$1,024 04/01/2021 8:07:03 pm (CDT)
$999 04/01/2021 8:07:03 pm (CDT)
$120 04/01/2021 7:22:19 pm (CDT)
$110 04/01/2021 7:22:19 pm (CDT)
$100 04/01/2021 7:18:17 pm (CDT)