Cumengeite (old -Type Locality) Columbia Univ. & Hauck Coll.

Item Description

Cumengeite is Holy Grail Mexico species and this is a RARE and excellent matrix miniature. Sharp, tetragonal, indigo-blue crystals, to 3 mm, are scattered on both the front and back of the clay matrix. This is a historic, old-time and rare Santa Rosalia specimen from the Columbia University and Richard Hauck Collections. One old label has Thomas Egleston named on it. Thomas Egleston founded the School of Mines at Columbia University in 1864 and was Professor of Mineralogy and Metallurgy until he retired in 1897. The rare mercury oxyhalide, eglestonite, is named after him. A rare, old piece with a fine provenance. Value??? Hard to say, but we estimate in the $400-500 range.