Epidote with Calcite (classic Alpine material) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

This piece originally came labeled as coming from the "Seebachalpe" in the Untersulzbachtal, but it's actually from the Seebachkar in the OBERsulzbachtal. An easy mistake in labelling, especially at a time when less than reliable information was available. With that said, this piece is a classic example of Austrian Epidote - the best Epidote from any Alpine country - featuring sharp, well-formed, rather lustrous, prismatic, dark green colored Epidote crystals measuring up to 1.5 cm sitting among translucent colorless Calcite crystals which are included with an Aphibole species ("Byssolite") giving them a characteristic blue-green hue. Minor matrix allows the piece to display wonderfully without the aid of a base or clay. Good quality all around, and very attractive up close. The piece looks beautiful with a bit of backlighting. Valued at $500. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#4033). Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017).