Orpiment (excellent quality) (ex John Arnaud Collection)

Item Description

Some of the finest crystallized examples of Orpiment are those from the Twin Creeks Mine in Nevada. These crystals show some of the brightest orange hues seen in the species, combined with excellent crystallization, luster and gemminess. For years, these specimens used to have a strange reputation for turning "brown", but the specimens mined by Collector's Edge (like this piece) have never oxidized / tarnished and have not lost their color. It should be noted that the Collector's Edge label that accompanies this specimen states that the piece should not be exposed to sunlight, and kept out of direct light as much as possible. This particular specimen is one of my favorite Orpiments that I've seen from this mine featuring fantastic crystal clusters of sharp, well-formed, robust monoclinic crystals with glistening luster, good internal gemminess and that fiery orange color. It's hard to isolated single crystals, but after a few minutes, I found the largest individual crystal measures 1.2 cm. They are elegantly sprinkled on the underlying matrix creating a fantastic balance and contrast. Valued in the inventory at $2,500. From the collection of John Arnaud, formerly of Westcliffe, Colorado. The piece comes with a label from Collector's Edge and another from dealer / collector Frank Daniels.