Quartz (var: Smoky) on Microcline with Hematite pseudomorphs after Siderite (fine quality)

Item Description

This is a fine quality and very attractive association specimen from the storied pegmatites of the Pikes Peak Batholith in central Colorado. This small cabinet sized piece features a sharp, well-formed, lustrous doubly-terminated crystal of Smoky Quartz sitting on cream colored Microcline. If you flip the piece over, you'll find that the back of the Smoky Quartz is re-crystallized ("re-healed") where it detached from the pocket wall, and is covered with many fine quality, sharp, well-formed, pseudomorphs of Hematite replacing rhombic Siderite. If you look at the photos for this listing, you can see one of the Hematite pseudomorphs is actually hollow inside, leaving a thin shell or "cast" with an open interior. The Smoky Quartz measures 7.8 cm long, and the largest Hematite pseudomorph measures 8 mm on edge. The color combination with the unique and eye-catching aesthetics along with excellent quality makes for a showy and hard to find piece from this small operation in Harris Park. Priced at $950 in the inventory. From the collection of Robert (Bob) Reynolds who passed in August of 2020. Bob was a well-known fossil and mineral expert and former Curator of Earth Sciences at the San Bernardino County Museum in California. The rare phyllomanganate-chromate species Reynoldsite was named in his honor in 2011.