Baryte on Quartz

Item Description

This is a wonderful full cabinet sized display specimen of the lesser-known Barytes from the Bou Nahas Mine in Morocco. Typically, the crystals from this locality have a grey or silvery hue to them, but this piece features a beautiful golden colored, gemmy, thick, tabular crystal measuring 3.2 cm on edge, sitting atop a sculptural matrix of "sugary" white Quartz. There are several secondary smaller Barytes on the piece along with some sparkling metallic soft golden colored Chalcopyrite, plus associated minor Malachite and Chalcopyrite at the base for a nice touch. The Quartz matrix looks as though it's likely some kind of a "cast" or pseudomorph after a preexisting mineral like Calcite or Fluorite. Certainly one of the best examples of this material that we've had to offer in the auctions, in terms of size, color, aesthetics and the interesting style of matrix. Valued at $1,500. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#406 MC), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection over the next two to three years through our various platforms.