Quartz - Dauphine habit (superb for locality!)

Item Description

Superb laser-sharp, prismatic crystals of glassy water clear Quartz from the famous location of Isere, France, known since ancient times for quartz along with axinite, epidote, and a host of other minerals that were studied by early mineralogists and collectors. You see them in old European books, but seldom in person anymore. This enchanting fully terminated main crystal individually measures 11.1 x 3.6 x 3.3 cm and has 2 equally sharp sidecar crystals. The Quartz has a Dauphine habit termination showing two enlarged rhombohedral faces: indicating they grew slower than the other faces. The other four faces all have subtle tiny curved triangular growth patterns. This is an important and rare style, first studied in crystals from this region. The piece is in near pristine condition. This is an exceptional Quartz specimen both for its incredible crystallography and for its high quality. The Dauphiné is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of Isère and others; so this is literally a Dauphine Quartz crystal from Dauphine. Ex. Paul Zerfass Collection #126. Valued $1500-plus.