Superb large Vivianite (RARE USSR! - Vladimir Pelepenko Coll.)

Item Description

A SUPERB, rare OLD Soviet-era large vivianite plate from the phosphatic iron deposits at Kerch. The large vug in the sculptural vesicular ironstone matrix is filled with a crust of black vivianite and striking sprays of lustrous, variably-sized vivianite blades. Some of the blades have gemmy sections and colors range from black to olive-green. The impressive large central spray is 4.6 cm tall. Ex Chet Lemanski Collection and acquired in 1989. VERY EARLY, RARE material from the USSR. According to Chet's catalogue the piece was in the collection of leading Soviet collector Vladimir Pelepenko: "A former V. Pelepenko, Moscow, specimen, sold in a Munich hotel room, 1988, to avoid KGB escort." Pelepenko was the FIRST Soviet collector to exhibit his incredible specimens in the West at the 1988 Munich Show and was probably the leading private mineral collector in the Soviet Union at that time. All of his many specimens were of amazing quality, not seen previously in the West. See the 1989 Mineralogical Record, Vol. 20, No.1 for the 1988 Munich Show report for more details of this exceptional collection. It is extremely RARE to obtain specimens today of this TOP quality or from the Pelepenko Collection. This is one of the best we have ever seen! They are gone now. Nothing like this has come out in decades. It is one of those rare specimens, almost impossible to value as it has a super provenance and is also dramatic at the same time.