Muscovite (unusually skeletal crystal)

Item Description

Here we have a rather strange/unusual crystal of Muscovite Mica from a famous find some decades ago in New Hampshire. We have only seen a handful of these highly distinctive specimens over the years, and they seem to be almost exclusively securely ensconced in East Coast collections. Mica is not typically considered to be a display mineral, regardless of the species, but these amazingly unique pieces are what I would consider worthy of a competitive display collection/case. This piece is a complete, fairly thick hexagonal crystal of silvery-beige colored Muscovite, but with pronounced deep skeletal or "hoppered" growth in the center, which goes fairly deep into the crystal. The back of the piece is complete, with very little skeletal growth. Certainly one of the more interesting and atypical examples of Muscovite you'll find from any locality. If you collect minerals of New England, specimens with odd crystal morphology, or you're just a fan of Mica, this is something that you're not likely to see anywhere else on the market, so don't miss out. This find is referenced on page 78 of the book Chasing Rainbows: The Field Collecting Diaries of New Hampshire Mineralogist Peter Samuelson, paperback, January 1 2002.
From the collection of the beloved mineral dealer and collector Rock H. Currier (1940-2015) who was the long-time owner of Jewel Tunnel Imports (named after the large open vugs in basalt in India which were often filled with crystals). Collection #RHC-035. Rock travelled the world in search of mineral specimens, and built and impressive collection over his lifetime. He was one of the more colorful and unforgettable figures in the mineral world. You can read more about Rock at the following links: (https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/currierrock/) (https://www.mindat.org/user-2982.html) (https://www.rockcurrier.com/).