Benitoite (ex Willard Wulff Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a classic specimen of Benitoite from the now closed Gem Mine in California. These are some of the most recognizable specimens in the world and they are renowned for their quality and beauty. This piece hosts sharp, lustrous, slightly translucent, trigonal, beautiful blue crystal of Benitoite measuring 1.4 cm across on a layer of white Natrolite on matrix. The piece is in decent shape, but it's not perfect as you can see from the photos. It's an older specimen, probably dating back around 50 years. Buy these pieces while you can, they will continue to vanish from the market since the mine is now defunct. This piece comes to us from the collection of Willard W. Wulff (1904-1998) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a prominent figure and collector of Colorado minerals. Wulff was one of the founding members of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society in 1936. You can read Willard's bio on the Mineralogical Record website here ( http://www.minrec.org/labels.asp?colid=1528 ). The piece is mounted in a "Perky" box with a typed label from Wulff's collection on the base.