Pyromorphite

Item Description

This specimen was labeled in Kurt's collection catalogue as coming from "Macclesfied", but I cannot find a single entry in any database that mentions any occurrence of Pyromorphite from this area. It somewhat reminds me of various specimens I've seen from Cornwall, but it very well could be from a locality in Cumbria or North Yorkshire. I'm not an English mineral expert, so we're asking if anybody out there can help provide some insight as to the origin of this piece. The specimen hosts prismatic, vivid green colored hexagonal crystals with basal terminations measuring up to 1.5 cm long, sitting on off-white colored bladed Baryte matrix. Several of the Pyromorphites are in good shape, but others are contacted/broken, so the piece is not damage-free. Still a showy and eye-catching example and it has a saw mark on the bottom so it sits nicely on its own without the aid of a base or clay. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#35 E), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection over the next two to three years through our various platforms.