Neptunite with Benitoite (classic material)

Item Description

Here we have one of the most recognizable and iconic associations in the mineral world. Benitoite with Neptunite are in my mind similar to Tanzanite or Cavansite, where the best and essentially only specimens of real import come from a single world locality, in this case, the famous California State Gem Mine in San Benito County, California. The best of these specimens are not only world-class, but they are certainly the best examples of these two species together ever found (there are a couple other places in San Benito County where the two minerals are found together, but not anywhere close to the quality or quantity of those from the Gem Mine). This piece features many excellent, highly lustrous, sharp, prismatic, dark reddish-black crystals of Neptunite measuring up to 1.3 cm long, associated with a few little medium blue colored trigonal crystals of Benitoite with of white massive Natrolite on blue-grey Crossite matrix. Very good condition, but I can see some tiny imperfections, so the piece is not 100% damage-free, but it's still a very nice specimen of this classic material. For reference, this locality is completely defunct, and now belongs to the state of California, so there will never be any more pieces of this material mined from this great locale again.
From the collection of Gary and Terry Butts of Livermore, Colorado. This husband and wife collecting duo were childhood sweethearts, and have been together since they began dating as teenagers growing up in East Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s. Both of them had an early interest in the hobby thanks to the fact that Terry's parents had a keen interest in lapidary, which sparked an interest in rocks for both of them. Gary and Terry were featured in an article in the Des Moines Register on Feb 4, 1962 (see photo in this listing) highlighting their interest and prowess in the hobby as youngsters. Gary traveled to various localities around the US as a teenager with his father (who worked in the tin industry), to personally collect specimens. He then attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and graduated in 1967 with a degree in extractive metallurgical engineering. We went to work for Duval Corp at the Esperanza Mine south of Tucson, Arizona and then work for Cyprus Mines, Hazen Research, Pincock, Allen & Holt and the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. His final job was in the mineral and environmental division of Intertek Testing Services of London, which owned the Canadian mineral testing company, Bonder Clegg. Gary's various jobs allowed him to travel the world and build his collection by buying a lot of specimens in person when they were coming out of the ground. Additionally, Terry's uncle was a miner in Creede, Colorado and later owned a rock shop which supplied Gary with specimens from the area. The specimens in this auction represent what Gary and Terry considered the "cream of the crop" of their collection.