Azurite (fine quality crystals) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

There are a few places in the world that are well-known for their superb Azurite specimens, and Touissit is certainly in the top tier. This is a fine quality, aesthetic, classic display specimen of Azurite from this world-famous locality. This piece consists of a group of excellent deep midnight azure color, lustrous, thick blocky crystals, which are partially altering to green Malachite free of matrix. Like many Azurites from Touissit, a tiny corner of one of the crystals glows with an electric indigo color when backlit. The largest individual crystal measures 2.4 cm. The piece overall is in good condition, but it's not complete on the back where it was removed from the pocket wall. A great piece to round out your Azurite suite, or even more specifically your collection of Azurites from Morocco. The piece can be displayed from a few directions. This piece dates back to the late 1990s and similar quality specimens haven't been found from Touissit in a while. Priced at $1,800 in the inventory. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #19133CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.