Prehnite ps. Anhydrite

Paterson, Passaic Co., New Jersey, USA
Ex. Charlie Key
Small Cabinet, 7.0 x 2.9 x 1.9 cm
Start Time: 01/30/2025 7:00:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 02/08/2025 6:30:00 pm (CST)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $311

Item Description

Some mineral specimens or styles are so classic, so historic, that they are in books and museums but we seldom see one in person FOR SALE. These old "snakehead" prehnites are one such historic American find: Prehnite after Anhydrite cast like this are affectionately termed "snakeheads" by those familiar with the Paterson locality and these particular pseudomorphs. The shape is unusual and it does look like a snake's head! The cast consists of abundant, tightly intergrown, less than 1 mm crystals of mint green Prehnite as a 2 to 3 mm thick druse that coated a pre-existing Anhydrite crystal. The top of the piece or snakehead is roughly triangular in shape while the remainder is roughly rectangular since it mimics the shape of the rectangular prismatic Anhydrite that used to exist under the Prehnite. An attractive oddity from the basalt trap rock quarries of Paterson, New Jersey. For the size, combined with the quality and coloration, it could not be better. Charlie Key collection - Charlie was a legendary dealer specializing in Tsumeb and Africa, but his personal love since childhood was New jersey and MSH minerals. He had a deep connection to NJ trap rock minerals, and started his prehnite collection by the 1960s. He kept excellent small cabs and miniatures, of which this was his personal "snakehead" of this style. I would not be surprised if he collected it himself back in the day. Impossible to value such pieces, as they are super rare!

Did You Know We Offer Custom Bases?

Learn More

Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$311 02/08/2025 5:27:07 pm (CST)
$303 02/08/2025 5:27:07 pm (CST)
$301 02/08/2025 5:19:53 pm (CST)
$291 02/08/2025 5:19:53 pm (CST)
$281 02/08/2025 5:19:48 pm (CST)
$271 02/08/2025 5:19:48 pm (CST)
$261 02/08/2025 5:19:43 pm (CST)
$251 02/08/2025 5:19:43 pm (CST)
$241 02/08/2025 4:57:05 pm (CST)
$231 02/08/2025 4:56:10 pm (CST)
$221 02/08/2025 4:56:05 pm (CST)
$220 02/08/2025 4:56:04 pm (CST)
$210 02/08/2025 4:56:00 pm (CST)
$200 02/08/2025 4:56:00 pm (CST)
$190 02/08/2025 4:55:56 pm (CST)
$180 02/08/2025 4:55:56 pm (CST)
$170 02/08/2025 4:33:48 pm (CST)
$160 02/08/2025 3:56:41 pm (CST)
$150 * 02/08/2025 3:56:36 pm (CST)
$150 * 02/08/2025 3:56:36 pm (CST)
$140 02/08/2025 3:56:32 pm (CST)
$130 02/08/2025 3:56:32 pm (CST)
$120 02/08/2025 2:22:56 pm (CST)
$110 02/08/2025 2:22:56 pm (CST)
$86 02/07/2025 9:10:36 pm (CST)
$76 02/06/2025 6:28:48 pm (CST)
$66 02/06/2025 6:28:37 pm (CST)
$65 02/06/2025 6:28:37 pm (CST)
$53 02/05/2025 6:18:57 pm (CST)
$48 02/05/2025 2:52:25 pm (CST)
$43 02/04/2025 10:46:04 pm (CST)
$38 * 02/04/2025 10:45:52 pm (CST)
$38 * 02/04/2025 10:45:52 pm (CST)
$33 02/02/2025 3:10:44 pm (CST)
$28 02/02/2025 3:10:44 pm (CST)
$22 02/02/2025 3:03:06 pm (CST)
$17 02/02/2025 3:03:06 pm (CST)
$15 02/02/2025 1:51:37 pm (CST)
$10 01/31/2025 9:27:53 pm (CST)
* Proxy Bid Battle: In the event of two customers inputting matching proxy bids, the leading bid goes to the earliest of the two proxy bids. Tie winners are shown in bold.