Enargite with iridescent Chalcopyrite coating

Anselmo Mine, Butte Mining District, Silver Bow Co., Montana, USA
Ex. Dave Bergman
Small Cabinet, 5.2 x 3.1 x 1.2 cm
Start Time: 09/21/2023 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 09/28/2023 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $285
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Item Description

Some of the finest examples of the copper arsenic sulfosalt, Enargite are those from various mines in Butte, Montana. This piece is an excellent miniature filled with metallic, steel-grey colored, well-formed "coffin"-shaped orthorhombic crystals measuring up to 7 mm, many of which have a coating of beautiful iridescent "peacock" Chalcopyrite, creating a dazzling effect. Not your typical specimen from Butte, and while I've seen several of them over the years, I think this one might have the strong and most vivid iridescence of any of them.
From the collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman. Dave is now retired, but among other things, he was the foreman and primary person in charge of recovering specimens at the famous Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado during the late 1970s. He is also the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. See Dave's photo mining at the Sweet Home on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".

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Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$285 09/28/2023 6:41:57 pm (CDT)
$275 09/28/2023 6:41:57 pm (CDT)
$230 09/28/2023 5:25:26 pm (CDT)
$220 09/28/2023 5:25:26 pm (CDT)
$195 09/28/2023 3:23:40 pm (CDT)
$185 09/28/2023 11:18:43 am (CDT)
$176 09/28/2023 11:18:43 am (CDT)
$110 09/27/2023 10:19:38 pm (CDT)
$100 09/27/2023 10:19:38 pm (CDT)
$92 09/23/2023 4:54:58 pm (CDT)
$82 09/23/2023 4:54:58 pm (CDT)
$52 09/22/2023 1:11:37 pm (CDT)
$47 09/22/2023 1:11:36 pm (CDT)
$26 09/21/2023 9:10:26 pm (CDT)
$21 09/21/2023 9:10:26 pm (CDT)
$10 09/21/2023 9:08:34 pm (CDT)