Andradite Garnet (var: Melanite) (ex Leigh Price Collection)

Item Description

An impressive, large and showy display specimen of the uncommon but iconic black Andradite Garnets (var: Melanite) from San Benito County. This piece comes to us from the collection of Leigh Price, who personally collected the piece in the early 1970s. No specific locality was given, but I have seen a lot of these pieces labeled only as coming from the "New Idria District". Dozens of very sharp, highly lustrous, jet black, opaque dodecahedral crystals of Melanite are covering the display face on this weighty cabinet sized display specimen. The average crystal measures about 3-4 mm across, but there are a few crystals on the piece which are larger (measuring up to 8 mm across), and show a slightly different habit. They are somewhat compressed, almost tabular if you will, with a slightly different luster than the rest of the crystals. Overall the piece is in very good shape, but like nearly all of these pieces, there are a few dings that can be seen, so it's not 100% damage free. If you collect Garnets, California minerals or general US display pieces, this is a great specimen of this classic material. Priced in the inventory at $975.