Beryl var: Aquamarine (classic locality)

Item Description

Mt. Antero is a famous 14,000+ foot peak in Colorado, and the highest summit of the southern Sawatch Range. This prodigious peak is one of the more rugged localities for field collecting in the state. People have been collecting at Mt Antero since at least 1885, and they are still up there today digging for crystals. The locality is best known for producing some of the finest crystals of Aquamarine from any locality in North America, in terms of color and quality. This piece is an attractive antique example with a good saturated blue color and moderate translucency when backlit. The termination is partially crystallized at a micro level, though contacted in some spots. All six prism faces are rather lustrous and complete, despite a little bit of surface etching. A wonderful old example of these famous and beloved Aquas.
From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer (Pala International) as well as a miner and collector. Bill traveled the world for decades in search of fine gems and minerals, and was directly involved in the in-person acquisition and importation of superb specimens from many important gem-producing localities. You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/ . The piece comes with an old typed label from the collection of Thurston, M. Phetteplace (#1312) who lived from 1912 to 1995, and started collecting minerals in 1929.