Doubly terminated Tourmaline (RARE California!)

Item Description

RARE doubly terminated, floater tourmaline from the much less well-known San Diego Mine, adjacent to the south of the renowned Himalaya Mine. It mined the same Himalaya pegmatite dike system. The complete all-around and essentially pristine tourmaline has classic, desirable, variable "Himalaya pink" color. The unusually flattened, layered, gemmy/translucent, well-striated prism has satin luster faces. The one clean repair has a bit of contacting, but with very little actual damage. Certainly acceptable in the context of pegmatite species. 62 grams mass. Comes with a custom engraved lucite base valued at $145 for free. See the 2002 Mineralogical Record article on California Pegmatites in Vol. 33, No. 5. A similar smaller, miniature, doubly terminated example of this very fine rarity is illustrated in the MINDAT entry for the locale at: https://www.mindat.org/loc-6785.html. According to the photographic caption in the MINDAT Photo Gallery, the specimen was collected by father and son Rynersons, who operated the mine in the early to mid-20th century. Ex Anthony Silva Collection.