Quartz var Chalcedony (historic Texas locale!)

Item Description

This item is part of a special benefit auction for the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org). Items are either deaccessions from the museum's collection or were donated by generous supporters listed below.

Auction open April 1, 2021 through April 17, 2021.

Billing for this auction will occur on Monday, April 19, for payment using PayPal or credit card. Shipping will be billed at cost, or please contact brandy@mineralauctions.com if you'd like to plan on picking up items at future shows or during a stop through Dallas.

Chalcedony is typically not considered a high-end collector mineral specimen, but sometimes Chalcedony, as well as Agate, certainly qualifies nobly: as with this large, striking specimen from Texas! This botryoidal, taupe-colored Chalcedony is lustrous and translucent consisting of nubs and short, rounded fingers of varying height that make for a very pleasing display piece. The display surface is in perfect condition with only minor contacting around the periphery as expected. The Needle Peak occurrence, more correctly named Sierra Aguja, is located near Terlingua, Texas and has produced some fine Chalcedony specimens such as this handsome cabinet piece. It is said that many were found in the 1930s-1950s here, and I assume this is such an example. Certainly, they are not contemporary.