Rutile (good sized crystal)

Item Description

The classic Rutile crystals from Graves Mountain in Georgia are some of the finest examples of the species from any locality in the Western Hemisphere. They have a distinctive appearance that makes them easy to recognize, and can often be found in larger than average sized crystals. This small cabinet specimen is a very good quality, classic Rutile from this famous locality. The piece features rather sharp, lustrous faces that show a metallic, reddish color. An eye-catching overall piece, and a great example of this well known (and increasingly hard to find) material. There are some nicks here and there, so the piece is not 100% perfect, but the faces of the crystals are notably smooth and well-formed, with none of the undesirable surface crazing that is sometimes seen with these pieces. Valued at $1,500 retail. From the collection of legendary Colorado miner, Dave Bergman. Dave is now retired, but mined all over Colorado and was most famously the former the foreman and primary person in charge of recovering specimens at the famous Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado during the late 1970s. He is also the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. See Dave's photo mining at the Sweet Home on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".