Native Bismuth (excellent rare old classic) (ex AMNH Collection!)

Item Description

Native Bismuth is rarely seen in crystallized form, and even more scarcely from any locality in the United States. This specimen is from near Monroe in southwestern Connecticut. These specimens are virtually impossible to find on the market, and date as far back as 1810! This piece features attractive, bright silvery-white, lustrous, sharp crystals of Native Bismuth measuring up to 6 mm sitting on / in massive Quartz matrix. The reflective luster and overall impressive quality of the Bismuth is striking, as it is not tarnished whatsoever. Superb quality and must have for any fan of old specimens from New England, native elements or specifically Connecticut minerals. No specific mine was given, so this piece could be from Lane's Elm Street Mine or Booth's Mine. This specimen comes with several labels, including one hand-written from an unknown collection that states it was part of the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, though no label is present with the piece. Additionally there is a label from New York City mineral dealer, Larry Conklin and another from the collection of William Shelton of Connecticut. The underside of the specimen has the number "376" painted on, which according to the hand-written label signifies that is part of the American Museum's collection. The piece at one time carried a collection number "1718" from Parch in 1983, but the back of the hand-written label says that number was removed by Conklin. The William Shelton label has the number 1010 on it, but that number is not present on the specimen either.