Gypsum (ex Willard Wulff Collection)

Item Description

A classic old time matrix specimen of GEM quality Gypsum (var: "Selenite") from the famous locality at Naica, Mexico. Many, sharp, lustrous, GEM?gemmy, colorless prismatic "sword"-shaped crystals of Gypsum / Selenite measuring up to 5.7 cm aesthetically sitting on matrix. The piece is not completely undamged, but still showy and attractive, and dates back around 40-50 years ago. This specimen comes from the collection of Willard W. Wulff (1904-1998) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a prominent figure and collector of Colorado minerals. Wulff was one of the founding members of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society in 1936. You can read Willard's bio on the Mineralogical Record website here ( http://www.minrec.org/labels.asp?colid=1528 ). The piece comes with a typed label from Wulff on one of his famous 3x5 index cards that states this is "A fine group of transparent crystals". Wulff paid $50 for piece long ago, which shows how valuable it was back then, and still is in my mind.