Emerald on Quartz (ex Henry de Linde Collection)

Item Description

Although Emerald is known in fine specimens from various classic localities in Colombia, Austria, Afghanistan or even the modern material from Ethiopia, people tend to forget about the impressive (though rarely gem quality) crystals from Bahia, Brazil. According to mindat.org, "The mica schists of Carnaíba, may contain the most extensive emerald deposits in the world." This attractive cabinet sized piece features several very thick, stout, rich dark chrome green Emerald crystals sitting on massive white Quartz and black schist matrix. The largest Emerald crystal at the top of the specimen measures 4.1 cm long. Now none of the crystals are fully terminated, some have imperfect contact terminations, but it's the impressive thickness, color and excellent textbook prismatic hexagonal form of the crystals that makes the piece desirable. You don't see a lot of good matrix Emeralds from Bahia on the market these days, and while the Colombian crystals are typically more transparent, they are rarely as large and thick as the crystals on this piece. Valued at $1,500. From the collection of Henry de Linde (March 21, 1923 – April 4, 2019) of Hot Spring, Arkansas. Henry was one of the most prominent figures in the history of Arkansas mining and mineral collecting. Along with being a miner, mineral collector and an amateur mineralogist, de Linde was one of the founders of the Coon Creek Association mineral club. He was the owner of several key localities in Arkansas including the Diamond Jo Quarry (on the south rim of Magnet Cove), the type locality for Delindeite, which was named in his honor in 1987.