Gypsum (''floater'' specimen)

Item Description

Gypsum is one of those minerals that is found all over the world, but certain examples stand out from others. Personally, I think the specimens from the Red River Floodway in Manitoba, Canada are some of the most iconic and instantly recognizable specimens out there. Their beautiful form combined with excellent quality crystals make them a must have for any fan of Gypsum as a species, or fine crystallization. When these specimens first came to the market, many collectors thought that that they were some of the most impressive, flashy and colorful specimens of Gypsum from any world locality. This small cabinet specimen features a crystallized "ball" of Gypsum consisting of little razor-sharp, very well-formed, gemmy, sandy golden color blades. This piece is a complete "floater", and formed in a calcium clay/sediment, with no point of attachment whatsoever. Once the sediment was rinsed off, the perfect specimen was revealed. Another important aspect of this specimen is that it is NOT repaired, which makes a difference with this material, as many were glued back together. Don't miss out on what I'm sure will be considered a Canadian "classic" in years to come. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#52 Ca), 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 over the next two to three years through our various platforms.