Rhodochrosite "wheatsheaves" circa 1980 ex. Barlow Coll.

Item Description

Rhodochrosite of this habit was found ONLY in a small vein of pockets in the early 1980s, and never again. For that matter, ANY rhodos from Nchwaning's heyday are treasures, but this particular style is so rare and so unique to this locality, it is even more a treasure than most habits. This superb, full miniature specimen has lustrous, translucent to transparent-tipped rhodochrosite arranged like wheat sheaves, in tight bundles, on a thin plate of manganese matrix. It is, for the size and habit, a VERY impressive specimen of high quality. It is from the F John Barlow collection, and the previous owner must have gotten John to sign his label during his last few years at Tucson in the late 1990s. PIeces like this seldom come up. And I can think of too many colelctors who would want it, if I put it up for sale in the gallery. So, the auction seemed a fair route. It is easily worth $4000-5000 today....and is one of the best pieces we have ever put out to auction on this site (at any price).