Calcite (superb old classic) Kay Robertson Coll.

Item Description

Calcite is a classic signature mineral species, along with silver and silver related species, from the historic and extinct silver mines at San Andreasberg. It is the most common gangue mineral from here and is easily considered to be one of the great calcite producing localties in the world. The district has produced nearly 400 different combinations of crystal forms! Opposing stacked clusters of very glassy, highly lustrous, mostly transparent to translucent, light gray, very sharp, stout to narrow, hexagonal "pokerchip style" prisms comprise this dramatic, sculptural and aesthetic large specimen. The large prism is 2.5 cm across. Most of the larger capping prisms have a thin drusy quartz termination, which does not fluoresce. Rich orange-pink calcite fluorescene. The last mines closed in 1910 and wonderful specimens, such as this probably date to the mid-1800s or even earlier. This outstanding calcite is nearly pristine, with only a few gently bruised crystals and is certainly only a modest detraction to this exceptional old-time calcite. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 5675 and acquired from the American Museum in New York. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). See the Mineralogical Record St. Andreasberg Special Issue, May-June, 2017, Vol. 48, No. 3. Valued at $1250-1500.