Fluorite with Siderite (old classic) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The Fluorite specimens from Weardale are among the most recognizable and colorful examples of the species from any world locality. These specimens used to be a fairly plentiful commodity on the market but have now dwindled to rather difficult to find. This piece is a wonderful cabinet display piece featuring excellent, sharp, gemmy to translucent, pale lavender colored cubic crystals (some of which feature penetration twinning) measuring up to 1.6 cm on edge which are beautifully accented by attractive golden "rosettes" of rhombic Siderite. A few minor imperfections can be seen on the display side of the piece, but overall it's in great shape. A fantastic example of this classic and highly sought after material. Priced in the inventory at $2,400. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #19465CL. The catalogue entry for this specimen states that it was acquired from World Wide Minerals (Ernest Windish), of Quebec, Canada. The piece is from the Dr. E.E. Sensel collection (#B303) and was originally purchased for $7 in 1963. 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.