Covellite (large crystals) with Chalcopyrite (classic material)

Item Description

When it comes to crystallized examples of Covellite, Butte, Montana gets most of the attention when it comes to fine specimens from any locality in the USA. With that said, I'll be that most people don't realize that perhaps the largest and finest pieces of this copper sulfide were actually found in Summitville, Colorado. The Colorado School of Mines has a Covellite specimen on display with individual crystals that measure many inches across ! (see http://trinityminerals.com/denver2012/DSC00792.JPG) and it's arguably the finest Covellite you'll ever see. This piece is an impressive, showy piece of these classic Covellites featuring distinctive, foliated/bladed crystals which have the characteristic iridescent blue-purple hue for the species, with an overgrowth of brassy Chalcopyrite on the exterior. For the size of the crystals, this is certainly a majestic specimen of Covellite from this classic Colorado locality, but it's not pristine, as there is some roughness in areas. Still a very good-sized and attractive example of these beauties from Summitville. Originally from the collection of Art Soregaroli. Valued $4,500.
From the collection of Jack Halpern No. 4117. Jack was born May 18, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, but has been a long-time resident of San Francisco. He assembled one of the great mineral collections in the world encompassing over 3,200 specimens with a specific emphasis on color, quality, and style/aesthetics, which is evident in every piece. He admired specimens of all sizes from thumbnails to large cabinets and the vast majority of them rank from fine to world-class in their quality.
Above all else, Jack is considered to be the greatest gentleman in the modern era of mineral collecting. He is beloved by all those who have met him, and he truly is one of the most iconic figures in the mineral world. We recently acquired Jack's collection, and the VAST majority of these pieces will be offered here in the auctions, as we feel that everyone deserves and equal opportunity at acquiring these important, well-documented and fine quality pieces for their collections. We are honored to have the opportunity to offer Jack's treasures to everyone on a regular basis in the auctions.
We encourage you to read our blog post at https://www.irocks.com/the-jack-halpern-collection or his profile on the Mineralogical Record website https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/halpernjack/ for more information