Pyromorphite (rare old classics dated 1870) ex Sutcliffe Coll.

Item Description

Rare and excellent old pyromorphite specimens with an exceptional provenance from this historic Cornwall mine. Two dramatic sculptural vugs are filled with rare, juicy, gem, yellow-green elongated to blocky prisms on the very rich larger piece. A gorgeous gem, 5 mm, yellow-green barrel dramatically stands out with other crystals in the smaller vuggy piece. Oxide-coated quartz is the matrix on both pieces. They come with a handwritten label from legendary Cornwall mineral dealer, Richard Talling, dated May, 1870. Ex Ralph Sutcliffe Collection, a noted English collector. Wheal Alfred specimens, at the time, were very rare (especially of this gemminess) compared to pyromorphite from Caldbeck Fells in Cumbria and the famous mines of the Bad Ems District in Germany. These were the world's finest pyromorphites in the 1800s. Value of such a fine and old rare pair with an outstanding provenance??