Andradite Garnet var. Demantoid (uncommon CA locale)

Item Description

A sculptural, CABINET, plate is richly sprinkled with isolated, gemmy and lustrous, olive-green, demantoid garnets to 7 mm. Some of the textbook dodecahedrons have a preferential coating of rust-red, iron oxides giving a dramatic contrast to the green crystals. This excellent and fine plate (with two colors!) is from the much less-common Green Fire Mine of San Benito County. It is in great shape, overall. Many Californian collectors and dealers call this material Topazolite, though this is a variety of demantoid in any case. Specimens of this size are uncommon on the market today. Valued $750. ex Dave Bristol garnet collection