Diopside and Epidote (dual ''Faden'' group) (ex Rich Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a really cool "Alpine Type" specimen featuring dual "Faden" groups consisting mostly of beautiful sage-green colored Diopside crystals, but there are also some scattered golden Epidote crystals as well. As mentioned both the Diopside crystals and the Epidote crystals, both show distinct "Faden" growth. "Faden" is the German word for string, and you can see that these crystals have formed around "string" of "Byssolite" to form the "Faden", which runs along the length of those groups. The lower portion of the piece is actually a tightly intergrown group of silvery-greenish colored "Byssolite" fibers. Additionally, you can see that the piece shows a notable "bend" or curvature, which is due to the fibrous and malleable nature of the "Byssolite" crystals at the core of the specimen. The final touch to this piece is that it's dotted with beautiful stark white crystals of Prehnite, creating a very pleasing contrast in color. You rarely see these pieces on the market, and to find a specimen with "Fadens" of both Epidote and Diopside along with the attractive Prehnite association, it's a great piece for any fan of Alpine cleft minerals. Formerly in the collection of Richard A. Kosnar, the well-known dealer and collector from Colorado along with the namesake for the phosphate species Kosnarite, who acquired the piece in 1995.