Fluorapatite

Item Description

This sharp crystal is a stellar example with color and luster of the famous finds of the late 1960s and early 1970s, from the classic Portuguese mine at Panasqueira. It went to the major dealer of the time there, Rene Dulon, who sold it to Steve Smale by the early 1970s. Steve loved this location and built an important suite at the time they came out. He later parted with most of his thumbnails, and sold this to me around 2012. I then sold it to Alex. It is notable for the robustness and how it looks so dramatic, when on display in a thumbnail exhibit. This is a single pinacoidal doubly-terminated, transparent and translucent and purple-colored crystal that is exceptional for the size. Photo: Jeff Scovil. Featured in the book by Mineralogical Record; Refined Elegance: Nov-Dec 2022 (page 88).