Phenakite (from the 1800's) (ex Boubee Specimen)

Item Description

From the type locality for Phenakite, here we hae a superb old time thumbnail of these immensely classic and highly sought after specimens from Russia. These specimens are incredibly rare on the market, and most collectors don't have one in their collections as they came out in the 1800s. This piece shows classic rhombic form with a slightly smoky color and good translucency when backlit. The luster is certainly good for the material, and this is a EUHEDRAL crystal, not a fragment or a rounded "pebble". The specimen is accompanied by a classic old hand written label from Ernest Victor Bernard Boubee, the son of Simon-Suzanne-Neree Boubee, the great French mineral dealer. The label states that this piece was sold from the Comptoir Central d'Histoire Naturelle, which Ernest opened in the late 1880s, presumably right around 1888 when his mother died. Old specimens from this famous dealership family in France are certainly rare and highly sought after by collectors. The label says that the piece is from Takowaja (presumably the Tokovaya River), but this was a general locality term often used for any gem material that came out of Russia, as I've seen Emeralds, Alexandrites and other Phenakites with this erroneous designation. A great opportunity to purchase a wonderful thumbnail specimen of this beloved historic material.