Aquamarine (superb old classic crystal) (ex Richard A. Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a fantastic old-time (1800s) Aquamarine specimen labeled only as coming from the Ural Mountains, which was a commonly, but annoying broad designation for a lot of material that was found in Russia during that time period. It is one of the most interesting, unique and alluring Aquamarine crystals I've ever seen from any Russian locality. The piece is a complete, sharp, very lustrous, translucent hexagonal prism, which grades from a rich deep blue color at the base into a softer more pastel silvery-blue hue along the basal termination. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the piece is that it's not your typical six-sided hexagonal Beryl crystal, but it actually shows first, second AND third order prism faces (!) with accentuating, eye-catching striations that run the length of the piece. Additionally, the termination has a hollow / skeletal opening, which is presumably due to a "tube"-like inclusion that permeated through the top of the piece. You can clearly see there are several "tubes" still inside the crystal, which only adds to its ethereal and other-worldly quality. A small amount of silvery bladed Mica (most likely Muscovite) can be seen at the base of the crystal. Considering this piece is possibly 200+ years old, it's in outstanding condition, with VERY little damage anywhere. I can only see a few small "Wilbers" with a loupe, but otherwise it's nearly pristine. Specimen weight is 41.39 grams. An important and truly impressive specimen that would make a fine addition to any gem crystal collection, or a suite of minerals of Russian, or worldwide Beryls. From the collection of Richard A. Kosnar, well-known collector and dealer from Colorado, and the namesake for the phosphate species, Kosnarite. Priced in the inventory at $4,500.