Calcite (imitating Fluorite) with Quartz

Item Description

This is one of those "fooled you" specimens where one mineral resembles another to the point where even an experienced dealer can mislabel it. At first glance, this piece gives the impression that there are several sharp, lustrous, gemmy, rich golden colored cubic crystals of Fluorite, but if you look closely, you can see the "cubes" are not square on the corners (meaning they did not form at 90-degree / right angles). They are in fact rhombic in their habit, and are not Fluorite, but Calcite. That's not to say that Fluorite hasn't been reported from various quarries in India, but I can't recall seeing actual cubic examples from anywhere, and there are plenty of localities that produce rhombic Calcite. Obviously it's a forgivable mistake in terms of the labeling, until you look closely and realize that this can't be Fluorite based upon the crystal morphology. With that said, it's a still a gorgeous specimen, as the Calcites are very sharp and well-formed with glistening luster, good internal gemminess and the strong rich golden hue. The largest Calcite measures 2.2 cm on edge. They are highlighted by a thin coating of drusy Quartz in certain spots, creating a wonderful contrast of color and texture to give the piece a wonderful visceral appeal. Very minor roughness can be seen, but overall the piece is in great shape. A really choice CALCITE from the Deccan Trap, and it would honestly make a great addition to any worldwide Calcite suite, regardless of where it was found.
ATTENTION: We are happy to announce our new book featuring the Jack Halpern collection entitled "Addicted to Beauty", which will be available in March from the Mineralogical Record. The following is an excerpt from Rob Lavinsky from the foreword of the book. "I am honored to have been entrusted with the deaccessioning of Jack Halpern’s famed collection. This book is not only designed to commemorate Jack's minerals, but also the man himself and how he inspired so many of us who are in the hobby today. Regarding the sale of his collection, Jack’s one comment and wish to me and to his family and friends was that we would carry forward his 'Legacy of Beauty' out into the broad world."
From the collection of Jack Halpern No. 4171. Jack was born May 18, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, but has been a long-time resident of San Francisco. He assembled one of the great mineral collections in the world encompassing over 3,200 specimens with a specific emphasis on color, quality, and style/aesthetics, which is evident in every piece. He admired specimens of all sizes from thumbnails to large cabinets and the vast majority of them rank from fine to world-class in their quality.
Above all else, Jack is considered to be the greatest gentleman in the modern era of mineral collecting. He is beloved by all those who have met him, and he truly is one of the most iconic figures in the mineral world. We recently acquired Jack's collection, and the VAST majority of these pieces will be offered here in the auctions, as we feel that everyone deserves and equal opportunity at acquiring these important, well-documented and fine quality pieces for their collections. We are honored to have the opportunity to offer Jack's treasures to everyone on a regular basis in the auctions.
We encourage you to read our blog post at https://www.irocks.com/the-jack-halpern-collection or his profile on the Mineralogical Record website https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/halpernjack/ for more information