Fluorite (gemmy ''phantom'' crystals) with Petroleum var: Bitumen

Item Description

A showy display specimen of this classic material from Southern Illinois. The various mines in the Cave-In-Rock area have produced some of the most iconic Fluorites from any US locality. This eye-catching piece hosts many very sharp, highly lustrous, gemmy, cubic crystals measuring up to 4.8 cm on edge, which show a predominantly golden hue, but have lilac "phantom" color zoning on the edges along with some accenting black Petroleum / Hydrocarbon / Bitumen in spots to create a nice contrast. Some of the crystals have eye-catching stepped overgrowths in areas for a wonderful three-dimensional effect. The piece overall is in very good shape, as the major crystals are all undamaged as far as I can see, and the only real damage is around the periphery where it was removed from the pocket wall. A lovely example of these classic Fluorites. Valued $1,500.
From the collection of Gary and Terry Butts of Livermore, Colorado. This husband and wife collecting duo were childhood sweethearts, and have been together since they began dating as teenagers growing up in East Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s. Both of them had an early interest in the hobby thanks to the fact that Terry's parents had a keen interest in lapidary, which sparked an interest in rocks for both of them. Gary and Terry were featured in an article in the Des Moines Register on Feb 4, 1962 (see photo in this listing) highlighting their interest and prowess in the hobby as youngsters. Gary traveled to various localities around the US as a teenager with his father (who worked in the tin industry), to personally collect specimens. He then attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and graduated in 1967 with a degree in extractive metallurgical engineering. We went to work for Duval Corp at the Esperanza Mine south of Tucson, Arizona and then work for Cyprus Mines, Hazen Research, Pincock, Allen & Holt and the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. His final job was in the mineral and environmental division of Intertek Testing Services of London, which owned the Canadian mineral testing company, Bonder Clegg. Gary's various jobs allowed him to travel the world and build his collection by buying a lot of specimens in person when they were coming out of the ground. Additionally, Terry's uncle was a miner in Creede, Colorado and later owned a rock shop which supplied Gary with specimens from the area. The specimens in this auction represent what Gary and Terry considered the "cream of the crop" of their collection.