Lepidocrocite with Goethite (great pedigree - 1800s!)

Item Description

A wonderful old specimen from the famed Příbram District in Bohemia that comes with a classic label from Josef Vajdák / Pequa Rare Minerals, which immediately increases the value. Joe's label states, "RARE 19th CENTURY CLASSIC". The piece comes with an old label from the Museum Regni Bohemiae (National Museum {Prague}) along with another hand-written label that simply says "Goethit Pribram". The piece hosts an exposed vug featuring little bladed crystals of dark golden-brown Lepidocrocite measuring to about 3 mm, sitting on velvety botryoidal brown-black Goethite. Two different iron oxide species together, which look beautiful under magnification.. Most of the crystals are undamaged, though some of them have some contacts, so the piece is not completely pristine, but the fact that the piece dates back to the 1800s is what really matters.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#8604). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.