Celestine (fluorescent) and Calcite

Item Description

Michigan has produced many noteworthy and desirable Celestines over the years, with some even being reminiscent of those from Madagascar, the world's best. This very large, cabinet-sized specimen is a good example of the Michigan Celestine's tabular habit. With its chisel-like terminations, satiny luster, and very attractive, dusty blue-grey color, this specimen says 'Michigan' right from the outset. The largest crystal in the upright cluster is about 6.9 cm, seemingly supported by an interesting and engaging scaffolding of crystals on the back side. A little bit of backlighting to these translucent crystal reveals a well-defined, large phantom in the main crystal, and being dark and murky it really seems to lend itself to the term 'phantom'. With the crystals so exposed, it is not surprising that the second crystal in the cluster has a chipped corner in the back, and there is another crystal simply missing from the matrix, but still the piece is nicely representative. Calcite crystals to 7 mm, many doubly-terminated, richly decorate the Celestines. The Celestine exhibits a blue-white fluorescence, and in person there is even some glow from the matrix. Rising in parallel from the matrix, the Celestines and the Calcites are an appealing example of the classic localities in Monroe County. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl, 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. This is probably from finds of the early 2000s.