Gold on Quartz (ex Halpern Coll.)

Item Description

This is a robust and very aesthetic Gold miniature from the old "Motherlode" Grass Valley area of California, famous from the California Gold Rush days of the 1800s, featuring sharp crystals perched on a beautifully contrasting white Quartz matrix. The historic Motherlode District of Northern California has produced numerous spectacular and showy Gold specimens like this one but few turn up on the modern market! While Gold specimens from the old workings here have survived in some number in museums, most do not have so much coverage of Gold crystals in this size range or present with such aesthetics. This has well-defined Gold crystals ranging from 1 mm up to 1.2 cm with impressive aesthetic distribution, and shocking visual impact that makes it stand out from so many others. This kind of special attention to a unique aesthetic among common species is really a quality that defines Jack Halpern's taste in minerals. He called this one "the Bunny" for obvious reasons. It is naturally bright and beautiful. This miniature has Gold crystals displayed flamboyantly on and around the piece and the contrast with the milky white Quartz is what really takes it to another level, making it more exceptional. Complete on both sides, and 62 grams (2 ounces) in weight. Such crystallized gold specimens from this location and in this size range, usually are valued in the $15-25,000 range when this finely formed. Jack purchased it in the 1970s, as #466 in the collection (which eventually grew to 4000 specimens or more). It is an early acquisition and came to him from an old collection being dispersed at the time. Every Jack Mineral is a treasure that he loves equally, most of them for decades, and we are truly honored to present this specimen from another lot of deaccessions from the collection of Jack Halpern of San Francisco (for more info: https://www.irocks.com/the-jack-halpern-collection).