Specimens from the Collection of Dr. Bob Lauf

We are proud to feature a few rare and illustrated deaccessions from the collections of longtime mineral collector Dr. Bob Lauf, the author of the Mineral Collectors Guide books (Schiffer Publishing), widely seen at mineral shows and libraries. 

This auction features a great mix of specimens from classic localities, primarily in the US and Europe, many of which are antiques dating back to the 1800s!  Several specimens are pictured in major periodicals or in Bob's Mineral Collectors Guide books!

Robert Lauf grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois, ultimately receiving a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering. His scientific career included over twenty years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he conducted research on topics ranging from nuclear fuel, coal by-products, materials synthesis, microwave processing, sensors, optical materials, and biomineralization. He has been granted over forty U.S. Patents for his inventions, many of which have become successful industrial products. He is now a Registered Patent Agent and technology consultant.

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Staurolite with Almandine Garnet (excellent specimen)
Keivy Mountains, Lovozersky District, Murmansk Oblast, Russia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
18.3 x 12.2 x 2.3 cm
Winning Bid: $1,383
Chabazite (classic material - 1800s)
Nidda, Wetteraukreis, Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; August Krantz; Michigan Tech.
5.7 x 3.6 x 2.6 cm
Winning Bid: $118
Quartz (bipyramidal crystals) included with Hedenbergite
2nd Sovetskii Mine, Partizanskoe Pb-Zn deposit, Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
12.3 x 10.1 x 9.3 cm
Winning Bid: $851
Stilbite-Ca (''bow tie''-shaped group) (Collected: 1940s)
Upper New Street Quarry, Paterson, Passaic Co., New Jersey, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Walter Kuenstler
4.6 x 3.9 x 1.7 cm
Winning Bid: $157
Torbernite (Archduke Stefan Habsburg…Mined: 1800s)
Old Gunnislake Mine, Clitters United Mines, Gunnislake, Calstock, Cornwall, England, UK
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Archduke Stefan
5.0 x 3.7 x 2.7 cm
Winning Bid: $2,050
Stilbite Subgroup
near Manjuri, Chuta Magpur, Bengal, India
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Geological Museum of Calcutta, Michigan Tech.
10.6 x 7.2 x 6.3 cm
Winning Bid: $95
Heulandite Subgroup (classic locality)
Bulandsdalur, Berufjörður, Djúpavogshreppur, Múlaþing, Eastern Region, Iceland
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; John Albanese; A. J. Beres
6.3 x 5.4 x 4.7 cm
Winning Bid: $215
Datolite included with Hedenbergite with Ilvaite
1st Sovetskii Mine, Dalnegorsk, Dalnegorsk Urban District, Primorsky Krai, Russia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
7.8 x 5.0 x 3.2 cm
Winning Bid: $1,083
Graphite (3 specimens)
Lead Hill Mines, Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga Township, Essex Co., New York, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
6.5 x 4.5 x 2.7 cm; 6.2 x 4.7 x 3.3 cm; 5.2 x 3.4 x 2.3 cm
Winning Bid: $165
Smithsonite (classic locality) (circa 1890)
Lavrion Mining District, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; John Legro
7.3 x 7.1 x 3.7 cm
Winning Bid: $80
Manganite with Quartz and Baryte (classic material) (late 1800s)
Manganese Deposit, Ilfeld, Harztor, Nordhausen District, Thuringia, Germany (Type Locality)
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
10.1 x 6.3 x 4.3 cm
Winning Bid: $338
Pyromorphite (classic material)
Wheatley Mines, Schuylkill Township, Chester Co., Pennsylvania, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
8.1 x 6.2 x 3.7 cm
Winning Bid: $805
Vesuvianite (''Egeran'') (rare old locality specimen)
Hazlov, Cheb District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
7.1 x 3.9 x 3.7 cm
Winning Bid: $113
Phosgenite (fine classic material)
Monteponi Mine, Iglesias, Carbonia-Iglesias Prov., Sardinia, Italy
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Carl Bosch; Smithsonian Institution
4.6 x 3.7 x 2.8 cm
Winning Bid: $456
Calcite (Manganese-bearing) with orange Baryte
Montreal Mine, Montreal, Gogebic Range, Iron Co., Wisconsin, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
5.3 x 5.2 x 4.6 cm
Winning Bid: $161
Titanite (''V''-twin) on a Smoky Quartz Gwindel
Dodo Mine, Saranpaul, Berezovo District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
5.6 x 4.3 x 2.7 cm
Winning Bid: $535
Azurite with Smithsonite (classic material)
Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
10.7 x 5.8 x 5.1 cm
Winning Bid: $713
Vesuvianite (old classic) (Mined: 1837)
Zermatt - Saas Fee area, Valais, Switzerland
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
3.2 x 2.6 x 1.2 cm
Winning Bid: $245
Vesuvianite var: Cerian Vesuvianite with Perovskite and Andradite var: Melanite
Perovskite Peak, San Benito Peak, San Benito Co., California, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
9.3 x 6.3 x 4.1 cm
Winning Bid: $235
Tyrolite (rare) (Mined: circa 1890)
Tintic Mining District, Juab Co., Utah, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; John Legro
9.0 x 6.3 x 4.5 cm
Winning Bid: $186
Hausmannite (rare historic specimen)
Oehrenstock, Langewiesen, Ilmenau, Ilm District, Thuringia, Germany (Type Locality)
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Dr. Friedrich Krantz; John Parnau
5.6 x 4.6 x 4.4 cm
Winning Bid: $446
Vesuvianite (fine locality specimen)
Sanford, York Co., Maine, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Ernie Schlichter
8.3 x 6.7 x 4.7 cm
Winning Bid: $211
Smithsonite on reticulated Cerussite
Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Don Belsher
8.1 x 7.7 x 5.7 cm
Winning Bid: $227
Gismondine Subgroup (rare historic specimen) (Mined: 1878)
Břidličný vrch, Dolni Zálezly, Ústí nad Labem District, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Lazard Cahn
8.6 x 4.7 x 1.6 cm
Winning Bid: $349
Kyanite (rare locality)
Thomas Mine (Balsam Gap Kyanite Location), Buncombe Co., North Carolina, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
5.2 x 3.7 x 3.3 cm
Winning Bid: $105
Heulandite-Ca with rare FLUORITE association
Gibelbach, Fiesch, Goms, Valais, Switzerland
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf
15.2 x 7.3 x 3.2 cm
Winning Bid: $666
Sillimanite var: Fibrolite (pre-1900)
Bodenmais, Regen District, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; August Krantz; Michigan Tech.
5.6 x 2.7 x 2.3 cm
Winning Bid: $213
Aragonite (superb rare locality specimen)
Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co., California, USA
Ex. Dr. Bob Lauf; Ed Allabough
13.2 x 10.7 x 5.2 cm
Winning Bid: $355