Calcite (fluorescent) in Quartz geode (classic locale) Kidwell Coll.

Item Description

Striking two-toned, lustrous and translucent sharp dogtooth calcite crystals line a sculptural and impressive 9.5 cm vug in a quartz geode from famed Idar-Oberstein. Idar is a historic agate processing center since the mid-1500s. The famous specimens here only come out of old collections now, and look just like the paintings in 200-400 year old books! But we almost never see them in person. The crystals reach 2.3 cm and all of the crystals in the interior are pristine, except for one broken tip on this showy and excellent piece. Still today, the world center of the highest end of the lapidary crafts is based in Idar-Oberstein, though stone to work on is now imported from elsewhere. Ex Al Kidwell Collection and acquired in 1967 from Jurgen Krawietz with a suite of these seldom-seen classics. From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974. A fine classic older example. You don't see many of these around today. When they turn up at Munich show time to time, they are often very expensive. Ghostly white fluorescence.