Grossular var: Hessonite (rare CUBIC faces!)

Item Description

Here we have a wonderful classic example of the famous Hessonite Garnets (Grossular) from the Faiallo Pass area in Italy. The crystal are notably sharp and lustrous, with dark brownish-red hues, measuring up to about 6 mm, but what really stands out in my mind is the habit of the crystals. Nearly all of the Garnets show classic dodecahedral and trapezohedral faces, but a few of them feature rarely seen CUBIC faces (flattened square shapes), which is incredibly hard to find in any Garnet species. I can see at least three crystals where the cube {a} faces are clearly visible, and there may be other tiny cube faces that are hidden and more easily seen under magnification. The matrix is coated by dozens of tiny Hessonites along with silvery-greenish colored groups of Clinochlore. No damage that I can see. A striking and desirable example of these well-known and frankly beautiful Garnet crystals from one of the more famous Italian Alpine localities for the material.
Ex Colin Manlove collection.