Quartz w/ Montmorillionite inclusions (Dawson, Walters & Larson Coll.)

Item Description

An artistically sculptural and colorful small cabinet specimen of montmorillionite clay-included quartz crystals from the famous White Queen Mine. The White Queen Mine is famous for gorgeous vivid pink morganite crystals and for exotic quartz crystals included with pink and tan montmorillionite. This aesthetic cluster of sharp, lustrous pink included quartz crystals is highlighted by the striking urpright sharply terminated 7.3 cm crystal. The reverse shows that the crystals are casts and are partially regrown, adding much character. Formerly in the Alice Walters Collection and obtained from mine owner Norm Dawson in 1960. Norm opened a huge pocket in the pegmatite in 1959 and 1960 that yielded about 6 tons or 5600 kg of quartz and 80-120 kg of morganite! See the 2002 Mineralogical Record article in Vol. 33, No. 5 and: https://www.mindat.org/loc-4459.html. Ex Bill Larson San Diego County Collection and long on display at his Pala International shop in Fallbrook. Alice Walters had one of the largest Quartz collections of the day, specializing in both Quartz and California, and this is an unusual, very fine specimen from the large find, with good provenance to County and a quartz collector in particular. Better in person! These are subtle.