Microcline (''Baveno'' Twin) with Aquamarine

Item Description

The Pingwu Mine is best know for its world-class Scheelites, Aquamarines and Cassiterites, but this piece is less commonly seen example of crystallized Microcline as the principal species. What's more, the Microcline features an excellent "Baveno" twin habit, with smooth, well-formed, lustrous faces and a white porcelain-esque appearance. To top it off, the piece is highlighted by a thick tabular gemmy light blue crystal of Aquamarine measuring 3.0 cm, flaring off the side. A minor amount of colorless Quartz and bladed silvery Muscovite can be seen on the back. No damage that I can find on the top/display side of the piece. A truly eye-catching and hard to find specimen from this classic Chinese locality. Valued $2,500.
Ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/smalestephen/ ) or on Wikipedia.