Calcite with Realgar (Rob Lavinsky Coll.)

Item Description

A beautiful, gemmy rich cherry-red, 1.8 cm terminated realgar crystal is aesthetically attached to the side of a sculptural and interesting parallel-growth pair of calcite scalenohedrons on this outstanding small cabinet combination from this famous ancient mine. The primary display faces of the transparent, smooth, sharply terminated gray calcites are highly lustrous and glass-clear. The stepped-growth faces add dramatic flair. The back faces of the large calcite are translucent/frosted and included with gray iron oxides. Complete all-around and essentially pristine. This classic and artistic combination is from my calcite collection assembled in the 1990s to 2000s. Jiepaiyu Mine realgars are generally light sensitive, so specimens should always be stored in the dark, except for brief periods of display. See the 2007 Mineralogical Record article in Special China Issue-II, Vol. 38, No. 1. This large arsenic mine has been active for over 1500 years!