Barite (fine classic material (ex Dave Bergman Collection)

Item Description

The famous Sherman Mine in Leadville produced some of the most impressive golden Barite specimens from Colorado, and when they're good, they're amazing. Like most great U.S. classics, these specimens simply aren't seen on the market today as the mine is long closed and hasn't produced specimens for decades. Because of their beauty, quality and scarcity, these pieces are highly prized by Colorado collectors. This is a wonderful and fine quality specimen featuring large, sharp, lustrous, thick tabular golden-color Barite crystals free of matrix. The piece has excellent stepped faces, and is one of the thicker specimens of Barite that I have had to offer from this mine in years. The color is superb, and the piece is in good shape overall on the display side. When you flip the piece over, you can see how these are actually multi-generational crystals, as the interior/base of the piece features a layer of soft grey colored Barite, upon which the beautiful golden colored crystals formed. A great Colorado classic from approximately 40 years ago. From the collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman. Dave is now retired, but among other things, he was the foreman and primary person in charge of recovering specimens at the famous Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado during the late 1970s. He is also the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. See Dave's photo mining at the Sweet Home on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures". Priced in the inventory at $900.