Serandite with Analcime (ex Bill and Anne Cook Collection)

Item Description

The prolific Poudrette Quarry is world famous and beloved by collectors for producing many impressive mineral species, along with many "best in the world" examples. There is an amazing mix of rare and common species found at MSH, and even the common species have a distinctive appearance. This miniature specimen is a good association piece featuring a sharp, lustrous, blocky, prismatic, rich salmon orange colored Serandite crystal measuring 2.6 cm associated with white trapezohedral Analcime crystals measuring up to 2.6 cm across. The Serandite is in good condition, but the Analcime crystals on the back are contacted where the piece was separated from the pocket wall. A good combo specimen of this classic material. It should be noted that collecting at MSH is now restricted by the new ownership, so you can't get pieces like as easily as just a few years ago. From the collection of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio. This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.