Sillimanite var: Fibrolite (pre-1900)

Item Description

This is the only specimen of this material that we've had to offer in the auctions. An historic piece of Sillimanite var: Fibrolite (which was considered a valid species at one point in time) featuring of gray fibrous formations, free of matrix. A great specimen for any fan of old European material, or classic neosilicates.
The piece dates back to the 1800s, and comes with a great pedigree of labels, including a great old hand-written label from Dr. August Krantz in Bonn, Germany, plus a few from Michigan Tech., which was called the Michigan College of Mines back in the day. The piece was pictured in Collector's Guide to Silicates: Orthosilicates (written by Bob Lauf), but please note that the book is not included with this listing.
From the collection of longtime mineral collector Dr. Bob Lauf (Collection #3664), the author of the Mineral Collectors Guide books (Schiffer Publishing), widely seen at mineral shows and libraries. Robert Lauf grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois, ultimately receiving a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering. His scientific career included over twenty years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he conducted research on topics ranging from nuclear fuel, coal by-products, materials synthesis, microwave processing, sensors, optical materials, and biomineralization. He has been granted over forty U.S. Patents for his inventions, many of which have become successful industrial products. He is now a Registered Patent Agent and technology consultant.