Fluorite ("phantom" cube) with Quartz (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a icon for Chinese minerals, and true classics from this prodigious mineral producing country. The Fluorites from the Yaogangxian Mine are some of the most distinctive, eye-catching and highest quality examples from any Chinese locality. This particular piece a group of very sharp, lustrous, GEMMY, large, thick, cubic crystals of Fluorite showing a mix of green and purple colors and wonderful internal "phantom" zoning. To top it off, the piece is highlighted by a single, colorless, GEM quality crystal of Quartz flaring out of the back edge. The dramatic effect yet simple elegance of the piece make it a wonderful example of this world-famous material. The front edge of the Fluorite has a couple small contacts, and I can see a rough spot on the termination of the Quartz crystal, so the piece is not 100% damage free, but it's still very attractive, and displays nicely from a few angles. It seems that the heyday of Yaogangxian is over, and pieces like this may never be found again. If the piece were perfect, I could easily see it retailing around $3,500-$4,000, but the imperfections have it valued at $1,500 in the inventory. Ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.