Analcime with Polylithionite, Serandite, and Mangan-Neptunite ex. Gaines coll

Item Description

This is a large, orange-sized crystal of the sharpest and must lustrou analcime you could ask for. The surface is like fine porcelain, it is so smooth and white! The crystal measures approx 7 x 7 x 6 cm in size and is held aloft by associated natrolite and serandite (massive, broken material, but a welcome color contrast). The analcime is largerly complete even on the backside, with just a few minor spots of contact. Certainly all top and major faces are sharp and complete. The top of the analcime is graced by a 2 cm, fat, doubly-terminated natrolite crystal and a few other smaller natrolites. Overall, a VERY impressive display specimen for the species, and for the locality. This was in the collection of the late mineralogist and collector Richard Gaines, who donated it to the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences in 1979 ( Academy label provided). It is hard to overstate how superb this crystal is! It is a major locality specimen, but also happens to be one of the prettier analcimes of any size I have seen, period. Big ones tend to be loose, or too big and clunky. THis is a well balanced specimen. I have seen lesser pieces from this lcoale, priced to $4000-5000. I believe this to be worth every bit of such a price to the collector who knows what they are looking at and consider this, honestly, to be one of the outright finest pieces I've let go through auction. 628 grams