Almandine Garnets on Biotite Schist (ex Philadelphia Academy)

Item Description

A huge, LARGE CABINET specimen showcasing the fine, sharp, gemmy, wine-red almandine garnets from Wrangell, Alaska, in this case still embedded in biotite schist matrix - isolated, large and very dramatic. These are old classics and few big specimens turn up today on the market. Sometimes these are found and sold as floater crystals, other times still in the matrix. The largest crystal here measures 3.0 cm across; there are a total of 10 crystals here and all are undamaged. Ex Philadelphia Academy Collection with old label circa early 1900s. 9.7 pounds or 4.4 kilos. Mostly, when I grew up I was able to buy and see small examples from heavy mining in the 1970s and 1980s around, on the market. but even those are rare nowadays. Large pieces like this, I nany case, were never common.