Fluorite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a beautiful three-dimensional cabinet display specimen from Cookes Mountain (possibly from the Surprise Mine) featuring attractive GEMMY steel blue colored cubic crystals of Fluorite measuring up to 1.1 cm on edge sitting on a sculptural somewhat "boxwork formation"-esque matrix that is partially covered by small cream colored Calcite crystals and tiny drusy Quartz. I love how the largest Fluorite cube is just flaring off the edge of the piece, making for a dramatic presentation. Upon close inspection, the Fluorite crystals have graceful etching patterns on the surface, creating a mixture of crags and crevices. You don't see many Fluorites from this district with this attractive blue color (most are either purple or green octahedra), and very few are as aesthetic as this one! Priced in the inventory at $900. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20996CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.