Calcite on Sphalerite (ex David Burgess Collection)

Item Description

A classic specimen from the famous Joplin Field in Missouri. This area for many years produced a large amount of fine quality display specimens, typically featuring Calcite, Galena and Sphalerite. This piece is a robust hefty cabinet sized specimen featuring several sharp, lustrous, gemmy, well-formed, light golden colored scalenohedral crystals of Calcite measuring up to 3.7 cm long, sitting on small sparkling "ruby jack" reddish-brown Sphalerite crystals, which cover over 90% of the underlying matrix. The piece is in great shape all around, with minimal roughness in a few spots. A wonderful big specimen of this beloved Midwest classics. From the worldwide collection of David Burgess (1951-2016). David was a prolific species collector from Newington, Connecticut, and the namesake for the extremely rare cobalt arsenate species Burgessite, which he discovered. The piece is accompanied by a label from noted rarities dealer Josef Vajdak.