Calcite with Pyrite

Item Description

A big, beautiful, eye-catching display specimen from the Meggen Mine in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany featuring dozens of scalenohedral crystals of translucent, white/colorless Calcite measuring up to 3.2 cm long, which play hosts to a few brilliantly lustrous, semi-spherical groups of light golden metallic Pyrite measuring up to 2.7 cm across. Honestly, this is the best specimen from this locality that I can remember handling, as it's not only a full cabinet sized piece, but it's also remarkably damage-free and can be displayed from a few angles. I realize that there are two common species present, but you have to admire the aesthetics and quality of the piece, and you're not likely to see another from the Meggen Mine this size with such good balance and so many pristine crystals. Valued $1,200.
From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#512 D), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection for the foreseeable future through our various platforms.