Datolite on Calcite

Item Description

This small cabinet sized specimen is beautiful association piece features a good sized, sharp, lustrous, beautiful blue-green colored, well-formed single crystals of Datolite measuring 6.2 cm, sitting atop satiny, colorless, gemmy/translucent twinned crystals of Calcite, with no matrix from the famed Bor Pit in Dalnegorsk. The vast majority of the specimen is damage free, and even the edges of the Datolite where you see a slight subsurface deposition that which might appear to be broken at first glance are actually re-crystallized ("re-healed") and some areas show a slight secondary overgrowth, but I can't find any actual damage to the Datolite itself. The only point of contact is on the base of the Calcite where the piece was removed from the pocket wall. This is one of those pieces you need to see in person to best appreciate the quality, and impressive size of the Datolite. Dalnegorsk Datolites don't get the credit they deserve as some of the finest examples of the species ever found. I don't think anywhere else in the world can rival the quantity and quality of Datolite that have come out of this area in the last 30+ years. I would value this one in the range of $2,000-$2,400. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#132 RS), 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.