Quartz (large near ''floater'' group)

Item Description

Here we have a dramatic, three-dimensional big group of very sharp, rather lustrous, gemmy, colorless Quartz crystals from the Ron Coleman Mine in Arkansas. The fine quality, good-sized crystals are somewhat compressed along one axis, and several of them are doubly-terminated, making this specimen nearly a complete "floater", save one small separation mark on the back where the piece was attached to another crystal at some point. Overall the quality is very good, and other than some small trivial nicks, the piece is in fine condition. These famous Quartz specimens from Arkansas are beloved for their form, size and quality. They have been mined for many decades, and have found their way into private collections and museums around the world. Valued $1,750.
This piece comes from the personal collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman, the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. Dave is now retired from mining, but he worked for decades in various mines underground in Colorado, as a miner, mechanic, engineer, shift boss and foreman. His biggest claim to fame is that he was the foreman and the primary person in charge of mining and specimen recovery at the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado in the 1970s alongside his son-in-law, Rich Kosnar. This project what was the FIRST ever operation for specimen recovery at this historic locality. A full-page photograph of Dave can be seen mining underground at the Sweet Home in on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".