Calcite (circa 1800s)

Item Description

Gem quality and transparent Bigrigg Calcites are world-famous and highly prized, with good ones rarely coming available. These were treasures of all great collectors and mineralogists since the 1800s, and are now only available in old collections. Here, a rich forest of gemmy, clear Calcite scalenohedrons completely spans a limonite matrix, end to end. With the exception of a little bit of wear on the two, opposite-end and upright crystals, the Calcites are in very good condition, especially considering their age. The luster varies from good to very good, there is a gentle, pinkish-orange fluorescence, and the largest crystal is 3.4 cm. Some crystals have a literal 'dusting' of Hematite, and the internal reflections within the crystals can be entrancing. It is from the ancient industrial iron mines of the birthpace of the modern Industrial Revolution in England, circa 1800s. This is a fine, cabinet-sized Calcite with aesthetics that demonstrate why these are considered to be both an old classic while still meeting the demanding quality standards of modern collectors. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl, 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.