Fluorite and Dolomite

Item Description

This piece is a classic style from early finds at the Shangbao Mine from the 1990s. It features several, well-formed, pale lavender Fluorite crystals clustered on a matrix of sparkling, ivory colored, saddle-shaped Dolomite rhombs. The Fluorite crystals are beautifully arranged and all of them display prominent cube faces with dodecahedral modifications and range in size between 1.5 and 4 cm across. The cube faces are glassy and enable you to see right into the transparent crystals, while the dodecahedral faces are all slightly frosted with satin luster. Much of the individual Fluorite crystals are actually a very pale blue, however, glassy cube faces and the gem interiors of the crystals reveal wisps of lavender in places within the crystals imparting the pale lavender color to them. The saddle-shaped Dolomite crystals are from 3 to 6 mm in size and have slight pearly luster and provide excellent color and textural contrast for the Fluorites. There is minor contacting around the periphery and we should note carefully that a few of the Fluorite crystals show some very slight bruising (would be easy to hide with mineral oil, and its trivial in context). An old Herb Obodda dealer stock specimen.