Fluorite (rare locality specimen) (Found: 1925)

Item Description

This specimen is listed as coming from the "Messerschmidt Mine" (Grube Messerschmidt) in Kurt's collection catalogue (along the accompanying label), but I cannot find an entry for this specific mine name in any database. If anyone has some further information regarding this locality, please feel free to reach out and let us know. Additionally, the catalogue and the label state that the piece was mined nearly 100 years ago (1925), so there is some historical value added to the already rare locality. This small cabinet specimen features a coverage of silvery-lilac colored, sharp, lustrous, gemmy, cuboctahedral crystals of Fluorite measuring up to about 1.2 cm across, which are associated with sparkling drusy Quartz on host rock matrix. If you look closely, you can see a layer of light green massive Fluorite underneath the crystals, and a bit of that green hue can be seen inside the Fluorites when they are backlit. Additionally, small bright red spots of iron oxide inclusions are also present inside the Fluorites. Very good quality overall, and significant for the old rare locality, so if you're a Fluorite collector or a fan of German minerals, this is something that you're not likely to find anywhere else again anytime soon. Valued $1,200.
From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#387 D), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection for the foreseeable future through our various platforms.