Quartz var: Prase (classic material)

Item Description

One of the great classic Greek localities, is Serifos Island which is world-famous for producing some of the finest examples of a Quartz variety called "Prase". This terms loosely refers to Quartz crystals with a leek green color, which is caused by some kind of inclusion. The specimens from Serifos Island get their color from inclusions of Hedenbergite, but other "Prase" crystals from additional localities feature minerals like Actinolite or even Clinochlore. This piece is a showy and aesthetic example filled with narrow prismatic crystals of a silvery green hue. The Hedenbergite inclusions create a distinct color, visually striking. Most of the Quartz crystals are in good shape, and the main crystal was contacted long ago during formation, and was actually re-crystallized ("re-healed"), so it's not broken.
From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#5774-b). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.