Aquamarine (unique habit) (ex Brian Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

Madagascar has been a source of interesting and beautiful gem crystals for over 100 years, but it stands out to me as one of the sources of some of the most unusual examples of well known species like Beryl. The odd and attractive colors and habits that we've seen in various crystals over the years makes them special in the mineral world. This particular piece dates back at least 20+ years, but could go back several decades further, we only know when it was acquired. The piece was purchased by Brian Kosnar in 1999 at the Executive Inn Show in Tucson, from a Malagasy dealer who was selling on a folding table in one of the rooms on the upper floor. He said that the specimen was from "Ambatofotsi", which we believe to be the Ambatofotsikely Pegmatite in, Vakinankaratra, Madagascar. The piece is eye-catching for the fact that it has a wonderful saturated blue color, with a slight green overtone, but what really makes it special is the unique habit. The piece is compressed along the "a2" axis which makes the specimen appear to be more orthorhombic (almost like a Topaz) than hexagonal. If you look down the "c" axis, you can count all six sides of the crystal, but two of the prism faces are incredibly narrow. Additionally, the piece is notably gemmy along the termination (nearly water clear), and transitions into a milky / translucent quality at the base. The color is actually a bit stronger on the lower portion of the specimen where it is less transparent. Lastly, the crystal is actually doubly-terminated, and is nearly complete all around, though there a few nicks / contacts that can be seen, so it's not completely damage free. A really unusual and unique crystal that would make a fine addition to any gem crystal suite, a collection of Madagascar minerals or worldwide Beryls. Valued at $1,400 in the inventory. Specimen weight is 48.37 grams.