Cyclic-twinned Cerussite (Ed David Coll.)

Item Description

A striking, 5.3 cm, cluster of very glassy, striated, cyclically-twinned cerussite crystals aesthetically set on elongated, sculptural matrix from the famous and now-closed Tsumeb Mine. I consider the cerussite to be pristine, as I am very hard-pressed to find any evidence of bruising. The cluster displays beautifully from several views. It has an adamantine sparkle and form, combined with unusual matrix, that caused quite a bit of confusion. Ex Philadephia Academy, Richard Gaines, Marcell and Charles Weber and Ed David Collections, with Ed"s label. It was traded out of the Academy collection probably in the 1960s and then all previous owners thought this was a super piece from the famous Wheatley Mine of Pennsylvania, which would have been collected in the 1850s or 60s! I bought this piece in 2004 with Ed"s collection and paid $5000 for it, as a Wheatley piece. Ed paid $5000 for it, so I paid what he paid in the deal. As a wheatley, it was worth it. As a Tsumeb piece, its unusual and niec, but worth probalby $1000-1250. My loss is your gain.