rare Rhodochrosite stalactite cluster (Stoudt Coll.)

Item Description

Rhodochrosite stalactite clusters of this striking sculptural quality are seldom on the market. In fact, I cannot recall seeign one this big, with so many stalactites in good shape (most stalactites are complete, though not all). The dramatic jackstraw stalactites of translucent, pretty rose-red, stacked rhodochrosite are preferentially coated on the backside with grayish-green chlorite or manganese oxides giving a surreal effect and a contrast from front to back. Ex Dave Stoudt Collection, who lived and worked in Buenos Aires as a petroleum geologist and established good contacts there. Material of this quality came from the 1988-89 finds. Value is hard to say - I really have no comparable, but I suspect $1500-2000 is not at all unreasonable here