Realgar (GEM crystal!) (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

When it comes to crystallized Realgar, the finest known examples are the superb crystals from the Shimen Mine in Hunan, China. The astoundingly fine crystallization combined with the enticing fiery gemminess is unmatched in the mineral world. This piece is a GEM QUALITY, incredibly well-formed, sharp, lustrous, striated, fiery red colored prism free of matrix. Like many Realgars, this piece shows that iconic glowing color when backlit, and you can even see the hint of a "phantom" near the termination, which is quite rare in my experience with Realgar crystals. The piece is well terminated, but there are some TINY imperfections keeping it from being 100% damage free. This mine is the premier locality for Realgar crystals in the world, and to find a single crystal nearly 2 inches long is a big deal! A fantastic miniature specimen of these famous, classic crystals. Priced at $4,000 retail. Ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection. Along with amassing one of the finest private mineral collections in the world, Steve is a renowned mathematician. His accomplishments include being awarded the Fields Medal in 1966 along with being the awarded the Wolf Prize in mathematics in 2007. You can read Steve's bio on the Mineralogical Record website ( https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/smalestephen/ ) or on Wikipedia.