Nephrite Nodule (Actinolite) (large rare locality specimen - unique pedigree)

Item Description

This is a remarkable rare locality specimen of Nephrite weighing at a hefty 2,527 grams (over 5 pounds 9 ounces) from the Jade Cove area in Santa Lucia Range of Monterey County, California. This piece has a unique pedigree, as it originally was found in by Commander Charles N. Howell of the US Marine Corps. Howell was in Camp Pendleton for 2 weeks of summer active duty when he found the piece. Commander Howell carried the piece in a duffle bag which according to George's label said was, "notably resisted being tossed on {the} plane by Marines" who were loading the plane for departure. Luckily the piece made it safely back with Howell, and was later given as a gift to George in August of 1966. It's not only the only specimen from this locality that we've had to offer, but it's a big impressive water-worn nodule which has been sawn on the front face to reveal the beautiful internal swirling hues of dark green Nephrite (Actinolite) within. A fantastic oddball locality specimen which is also a superb big display piece, the likes of which you're not likely to find anywhere else on the market.
Ex George Loud Collection No. 66.1.3a.2 CA.3; 1467 George (born August 16, 1942) is a well-known mineral collector from Washington, DC and South Carolina respectively, and was a patent lawyer by trade for over 50 years. He assembled one of the great mineral collections in the U.S., comprising worldwide specimens, and in later years he sold the worldwide specimens to focus on minerals of the United States, specifically locality suites with an emphasis on amazing representation of species while still maintaining fine quality. The specimens remarkably range from micros to all the way up to large cabinets in size. We recently acquired most of his impressive 9000+ piece collection, and the VAST majority of these pieces will be offered here in the auctions, as we feel that everyone deserves and equal opportunity at acquiring these important, well-documented and fine quality specimens for their collections.
See: https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/george-loud for more information