Montgomeryite with Robertsite and Whitlockite (very rare) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

This is not only a great association specimen of rare minerals, but it carries quite a bit of mineral-related provenance in terms of the people from whom the species were named. We'll start with the star of the specimen, the bright scarlet red micro crystals of Montgomeryite, a signature phosphate species from the Tip Top Mine. The species was named for one of the key figures in the mineral world of the 20th century, Arthur Montgomery, who was an accomplished mineralogist and professor of geology along with being one of the top mineral dealers of his day. Many mineral enthusiasts recognize Montgomery as the individual who put up the necessary funding to start the Mineralogical Record magazine along establishing the non-profit organization, Friends of Mineralogy. Next on our specimen you will see dark brownish colored crystals of the phosphate Robertsite, which was named after Bill Roberts, a professor of mineralogy, curator of the South Dakota School of Mines mineral museum, and a major force in the world of Black Hills phosphates. It seemed only fitting that a phosphate from this area was named in his honor. The last species on this specimen is the tiny white crystals of the phosphate Whitlockite, named after Herbert Whitlock, the former mineral curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who was responsible for obtaining items for the museum such as the famous Schettler Emerald and the Delong Star Ruby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLong_Star_Ruby). With all that said, this might be considered by most to be a micro specimen, but it packs a lot of significance in terms of legacy. We have photographed the specimen with a Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens to better illustrate the quality. If you love phosphates, rare minerals, micros or pieces with interesting stories behind them, don't miss out on this little beauty from one of the major phosphate localities in the United States. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#9906). Kay was a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics. She nearly lived 100 years from April 1920 - March 2020. See the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record ( https://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/pdfs/Kay%20Robertson%20Collection.pdf ), and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017.