Fluorite with Quartz, Calcite

Item Description

French Fluorites are enthusiastically sought after by not only Fluorite collectors but also so many other collectors that appreciate good Fluorites from old classic localities. This is a sensational and sharp, large, multicolored fluorite from the famous area of the same province as the more well known fluorites with color and phantoms from  Valzergues, but a different location that was recently given to us by a French collector who examined it in person: the associations indicate a much smaller, more rare, locality in the other side of the same province. Labels were lost in the shipment and cleaning of the collections and this was therefore initially posted as Valzergues because of the phantom habit. However, the quartz and calcite together proves it is from this other locality, also an old classic for France - and more rare. It is from the private collection of one of the collectors in France known to specialize in the area. Paul Zerfass collected many of his specimens himself and traded also with others when this material was coming out, and it is now unavailable. It displays a lovely internal phantom of translucent to transparent yellow Fluorite with a relatively thick, 1 to 1.3 cm, exterior rim of almost totally clear light blue-green Fluorite, for tremendous visual appeal! The edges and corners are razor sharp with only a few small areas of restoration along one edge atop, and the two adjoining corners (difficult to find, unless you know to look for it). The front and side faces are beautifully accented by translucent, almost frosty-looking, disks of Calcite to 1 cm in size. Bonus - it is highly fluorescent under ultraviolet light (shown). The piece is contacted on the back and bottom where it was attached to the pocket and on one side, although this is pretty much out of display view. This is a spectacular piece from the important French suite of French field collector, Paul Zerfass (see Le Regne Minerale article on the collection, available by request).  Valued $4500-plus