Elbaite (classic locale - 1972 find)

Item Description

A beautiful, classic, trigonal elbaite from the famous 1972 find at the Dunton Quarry. The body of this gemmy and lustrous crystal is a pleasing green-blue. The very steep pyramidal termination has an interesting different look to each face, etched to glassy to stepped-growth. The fluted side and the base are partially coated with lepidolite and albite. Complete all-around. Just a bit of termination edge wear and one small spot of bruising at the base of a steep termination face are noted, but are certainly only very modest detractions. This is an excellent quality, seldom available, tourmaline from this historic locale. This find is immediately recognizable to any collector knowledgeable of tourmalines and of US finds - it was one of the most important single gem pockets found in the USA, as well. A hefty miniature, at 44 grams mass. It GLOWS, when backlit. Valued at $1500, though perhaps worth more at East Coast shows.