"Raspberry" Grossular Garnets (excellent)

Item Description

These famous red grossular garnets have graced many important collections and are from the famous Mexican finds of the late 1990s and early 2000's. Large pieces are for some reason quite uncommon. The skarn they form in gets broken either naturally or in collecting, and so few of this size would have been on the market. This is a striking, large, sculptural, very vuggy, 3-dimensional piece festooned with numerous crystals and dominated by the impressive, well-placed, beautiful, 1.5 cm crystal on one side. There is A LOT OF COLOR spread out on that stark sculptural matrix. These garnets are called "raspberry" garnets by many people for their unique color and sharp form. The crystal distribution and isolation are especially noteworthy on this fine large piece. This outstanding piece has multiple display views. Today, they are rare on the market although they were common for a time. Still, a piece of this size, richness and quality was not common. Recently I saw one twice the size, but no better quality, valued at over $20,000 at a brick-and-mortar auction house dealing in natural history. I think I would rather have had this one! Valued at $1500-2000. From an old private collection.