Quartz (''Faden'') (RARE Brazilian locale)

Item Description

This piece is, to the best of my recollection, the only "Faden" Quartz specimen that we've had from Governador Valadares. Actually considering the plethora of Brazilian localities that produce fine quality Quartz specimens, "Fadens" are quite rare period. This piece is an impressive big showy cabinet specimen featuring a very distinct prominent "Faden" (German word for string and referred to as "Ame" in French) that runs across the center of the main sharp, colorless, GEM/gemmy Quartz crystal group, with an additional accenting Quartz flaring off the side for a nice touch. Certainly reminiscent of the old classic "Faden" specimens from the European Alps. A highly eye-catching, beautiful display specimen, and it's in remarkably fine condition, with no major damage that I can find. . The overall quality of the crystals on the Quartz is quite good as well, as they are largely water-clear. It would rival many superb true Alpine "Fadens" for size, quality and displayability. For reference, it was believed at one time that the "Fadens" were created due to inclusions of another mineral within the Quartz crystals, but the lines are actually formed when the crystals are gently ruptured underground, essentially pulled apart, and then heal themselves, so the "Faden" lines are the scars formed from these crystals in the form liquid and gas inclusions in the crystals. If you collect Quartz or Brazilian minerals, this is a big important "Faden" that would certainly make a stellar addition to your collection.
Valued $4,000 for the size, quality and the fact that it's a very rare "Faden" from Brazil.
From the collection of the long time, beloved, well-known French field collector, Paul Zerfass (Collection #1137). Zerfass built this worldwide collection over nearly 50 years, many of which were personally collected. A biography featuring specimens from his collection (along with his face on the cover) is in the May - June 2017 issue of French mineral magazine, Le Règne Minéral. We have a .pdf copy of the article for anybody interested in reading it (though it's mostly in French). Just drop us a line and know that you'd like to have a copy.