Calcite w/ Galena (1835! - rare OLD classic) Neeld & Robertson Coll.

Item Description

An OLD-TIME, sculptural calcite combination from this historic locale with a fine provenance. The unusally shaped piece of elongated flattened calcite rhombs with striking flat terminations, resembles a fan. The embedded galena fragments and gray platy calcite add contrast, color and drama to this exceptional piece. The antique calcite was once in the collection of Colonel Joseph Neeld, 1789-1856 (# 2282) and was found before 1835. He was a Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom and a Colonel in the Royal Army. This collection, long forgotten and lost track of, resurfaced in England in the early 1980s and was purchased by Richard Barstow (no Neeld labels survived). Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 8844 and acquired in October, 1979 from Brian Lloyd. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). This is a remarkable specimen for the locality, history aside, and is highly valued aside from the Neeld provenance. Kay assembled an important suite of classics and rarities from this famed district. See the Mineralogical Record St. Andreasberg Special Issue, May-June, 2017, Vol. 48, No. 3. Moderate pink fluorescence.