Hematite (classic Alpine "iron rose") (ex Bill Pinch Collection)

Item Description

From the lesser known Bächital (= Bächi Valley) (sometimes called the Reckinger Tal), locality in the southern Swiss Alps, here we have a wonderful and large classic "iron rose" Hematite on matrix. I think nearly any collector or dealer will tell you that the finest "iron rose" Hematites are those from the Swiss Alps. Those who collect Alpine minerals are certainly aware of the superior quality and beauty of the Swiss specimens, which in recent years have not only increased in popularity among the collecting community, but in value as well. This small cabinet features a fairly large (4.1 cm across) "rose" composed of very sharp, distinct, well-formed, reddish-grey bladed crystals of Hematite aesthetically perched on the host rock matrix. The reverse side of the specimen shows a brilliant splendent metallic luster, but the piece is contacted. It's important to note that there are some bruises on the front / display side of the rose, so it's not undamaged, but it still displays very well, and any time you have a "rose" like this approaching 2 inches on matrix, it's a big deal as any Alpine collector or strahler will tell you. If the piece were undamaged, I could easily see it priced in the $2,500-$3,000 range, but it would obviously be less due to the fact that it's not perfect. Most importantly, this piece comes from the pretigous collection of William (Bill) Pinch, who recently passed away. Bill was one of the premier mineral collectors in the world, who loved all mineral species. He acquired superb specimens of some of the rarest minerals known along with world-class examples of common species from classic localities. Bill arguably could sight identify more minerals than any other collector in the world, and his keen eye and taste allowed him to assemble several impressive collections of minerals over many decades.