Fluorite (rare textrahexahedal faces) (ex Ross Lillie Collection)

Item Description

Illinois Fluorites are some of the finest and more desirable examples of the species out there. For years, due to their abundance, they were not nearly as sought after as they are today, but little is available on the market now since the entire area is closed down and nothing has come out for many years. This piece is a wonderful cabinet display specimen of this classic material featuring large, sharp, lustrous, translucent golden colored cubes with a slight purple mottling on the outer edge of the crystals. This is however not your typical Illinois Fluorite for the simple fact that you can see attractive secondary modifying tetrahexahedral faces on the surface on the broad cubic faces. These modifications indicate a change in temperature and / or pressure when the piece was nearly as the end of its crystallization, and are considered rare in Illinois Fluorites. This piece is in excellent condition on the display side with no major damage - only a few tiny imperfections - and even features narrow, gemmy scalenohedral Calcite crystals and a some golden metallic Marcasite crystals here and there. The largest Fluorite measures 4.7 cm on edge. Very attractive, and the uncommon habit of the crystals makes it a very desirable specimen for any Fluorite collector of a fan of southern Illinois material. Ex Ross Lillie collection (#RCL1711) which according to his label states that it was found on the north face of the level in April 1992. Valued at $1200.