Scheelite on Quartz (ex Dr. Stephen Smale Collection)

Item Description

A classic example of the beautiful Scheelites from Yaogangxian. This piece features a cluster of intergrown chocolate-brown Scheelite crystals measuring up to 1.3 cm across sitting beautifully on crystallized Quartz matrix. Some of the Scheelites are actually translucent when backlit, and show a lighter golden interior. The vast majority of the crystals are pristine, with only a few tiny imperfections. I really haven't seen much of these specimens over the years, and they really haven't come out in about a decade, so if you missed out on them years ago, now is a great chance to pick up a wonderful display specimen for your collection. Most of the Scheelites I've seen from this mine are either not terribly aesthetic or are "lumps" of crystals off matrix. This one is well-balanced and displays beautifully. Valued at $800. Ex Dr. Steven 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/labels.asp?colid=671&page=1 ) or on Wikipedia.