Cavansite

Item Description

Some minerals are incredibly distinctive for either their form, color or both, and Cavansite is certainly one of those species. The Cavansite specimens from the Wagholi Quarries in India are not only classics, they are so iconic that they are almost exclusively associated with this locality. Even though Cavansite has been found in other places around the world, you would be hard-pressed to find other examples for sale outside of Wagholi. The species gets its name from its chemistry (CA-lcium VAN-adium SI-licate), and it's the vanadium content that gives Cavansite that rich color. This piece is a wonderful small cabinet featuring a good sized, intense greenish-blue aggregate measuring 2.7 cm across, sitting atop tiny beige crystals of Heulandite with a few pearly white "sheaves" of Stilbite-Ca on reddish-brown basalt matrix. The Cavansite group is in superb condition, though I can see a few TINY bruises on the upper portion, and there is a spot of interrupted growth on the back, but you can't see it when the piece is displayed. Highly sculptural and very eye-catching. A choice example of this rare but well-known species. Valued at $3,000. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#21 IN), 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 over the next two to three years through our various platforms.