Okenite and Gyrolite on smoky colored Calcite

Item Description

The Deccan Trap in India for decades has been a prolific source of excellent crystallized mineral specimens. This area is world-famous for its superb Zeolite species and other associated minerals. This particular specimen doesn't actually feature any Zeolites (though Okenite was at one time considered a Zeolite), but it's still a very eye-catching and fine quality thumbnail. The main focus of the specimen is the beautiful snow-white "ball" of Okenite which measures 1.0 cm across, beautifully set atop gemmy, smoky colored, resinous scalenohedral crystals of Calcite, which are highlighted by little translucent, soft silvery colored spherical groups of Gyrolite. The piece is in great condition, with no damage I can find on the top/display side. A fantastic thumbnail for what it is, and this is certainly older material from a few decades ago, as you don't see piece like this on the market anymore from contemporary find.
This specimen comes from the lifelong worldwide thumbnail collection of Dr. Alexander ("Alex") Schauss (#954). For more information, I would recommend reading the interview at https://www.irocks.com/collector-interview-alex-schauss to get a better understanding of who he is as a mineral collector and a person.