Cassiterite (ex Francesco Bedogne Collection)

Item Description

Panasqueira is one of the more classic "modern" European localities. It produced some amazing specimens about 40 years ago, and is still producing today I'm told. It is certainly one of the most distinctive localities in the world and it has produced some amazing Apatite specimens. This piece features several fine quality, sharp, lustrous, rich brown to black color, cyclic twinned Cassiterite crystals measuring up to 1.0 cm which are sitting atop silvery-golden Muscovite and associated with a complex group of matte luster black Sphalerite. The piece is in great shape, and very attractive from this well-known mining district. Virtually undamaged as far as I can tell. The piece can be displayed from a few angles, and these specimens are not seen very often on the market these days. Valued at $950 retail. From the worldwide collection of famed Italian mineral collector, field collector and author, Francesco Bedogne of Sondrio, Italy (Collection #166). 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.