Quartz var. Amethyst 'cactus' style ex Halpern Collection

Item Description

Extremely aesthetic and beautiful, this South African Amethyst specimen displays well from all sides and is a great example with top color, from the famous finds of the late 1990s here. Lovingly referred to as "Cactus Quartz", the center spires are actually Amethyst scepters, with the tallest one here being about 4.3 cm. The scepters are encircled by gorgeous, glassy, translucent to transparent, rich purple Amethysts that impart an amazing sparkle to the piece. When lit well, there is a hint of red that adds an eerie, yet eye-catching, reddish glow that is probably from a small amount of Hematite inclusions. Erroneously marketed as being from the Magaliesberg Range at the satrt, that location has stuck in most folks' heads and is still common on labels. These Amethysts are instantly recognizable and absolutely unique in the world for their beauty and exotic form. Highly aesthetic with great sparkle, form, and color, this small cabinet is even better in person. It is frankly one of the best smaller ones we have seen, as most of the best were in large plates, but this is a great collector size. There are numerous references to Jack and his collection in print, but perhaps a good tour of the collection and its history will help give perspective on just how good, and important, this collection is: https://www.irocks.com/the-jack-halpern-collection