Epidote (rich color - excellent pleochroism)

Item Description

Epidote is probably best-known from the Knappenwand in the Austrian Alps. These specimens are some of the finest examples of Epidote in the world, celebrated since the mid 1800s by collectors. Going back to the early 1990s, we started seeing some of the finest Epidote specimens in the world coming out of "Alpine-type" cleft deposits in Pakistan. These amazingly fine examples are seemingly identical to their classic Alpine cousins, and in certain instances, have surpassed the European specimens for quality and gemminess. This piece was mined in the late 1990s and is a highly aesthetic, superb quality, sharp, lustrous, gemmy group of Epidote crystals free of matrix. When backlit, you can clearly see deep saturated green and golden-brown hues, illustrating the strong pleochroism of the material, but you need a STRONG light to really see it. The piece is in good condition, but there is one contact on the lower corner, along with the base of the piece where it detached from the pocket wall. A beautiful and good quality example of these world-class Epidotes from Pakistan.
From the collection of Richard ("Rich") A. Kosnar (1946-2007), the well-known dealer and mineral collector from Colorado, and the namesake for the rare zirconium phosphate species, Kosnarite. Rich loved Alpine and "Alpine-type" minerals, and built a large collection of specimens from around the world.