Epidote (from 1800s!) ex. Des Cloizeaux, Paris Nat. Hist. Mus. & Robertson Coll.

Item Description

A very fine, old-time, sharply terminated epidote crystal with an outstanding provenance from the historic and extinct iron mines at Arendal. The complete all-around lustrous crystal has a striking angled chisel termination and the secondary overgrowth of lighter epidote is a dramatic accent. The attached feldspar and smaller epidotes add contrast and character. The trivial bit of bruising/contacting is certainly acceptable in the context of this important old-timer. Ex Kay Robertson Collection # 10275 and acquired from respected French dealer Alain Carion at the Tucson Show in February, 1984. Kay's note indicates the piece was formerly in the collection of Alfred Des Cloizeaux (1817-1897), professor of mineralogy at the Paris National History Museum, for whom Descloizite was named. The piece later went into the Museum Collection. An old small label fragment with a number is included. Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record). A exceptional old-time epidote from Norway with a super provenance.