Topaz

Item Description

This item is part of a special benefit auction for the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org). Items are either deaccessions from the museum's collection or were donated by generous supporters listed below.

Auction open April 1, 2021 through April 17, 2021.

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, April 19, for payment using PayPal or credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost, or please contact brandy@mineralauctions.com if you'd like to plan on picking up items at future shows or during a stop through Dallas.

We are used to seeing sherry colored Topaz crystals with nice pyramidal terminations from the pegmatites of Pakistan and this robust and handsome crystal is a departure from the usual. This commanding, nearly four inch tall crystal is translucent ghostly white to transparent and colorless, with an incredibly glassy luster. It's cross-section is nearly square, the prism faces are very well developed and so is a very prominent and flat pinacoid termination. In fact, on a quick, casual examination of the piece it looks like a prismatic Fluorapophyllite crystal! Its actual crystal form, heft and and association with minor white Albite and tiny green-blue Elbaite brings it quickly into perspective. The lower half of the crystal is dominantly gemmy, the upper half more turbid, however, looking down the c-axis at the termination, the area at the top is quite gemmy and almost looks like a slightly internally crazed ice cube. A beautiful and unusual Pakistani Topaz crystal. 350 grams