Silver with Spessartine and Smithsonite (rare combo) (ex Al Kidwell Collection)

Item Description

A really attractive and interesting association specimen showing micro "sponge"-like or semi-dendritic Native Silver associated with gemmy reddish-orange crystals of Spessartine Garnet showing a combination of trapezohedral and dodecahedral faces, along with silvery-grey modified rhombic Smithsonite crystals on matrix. You need to view the piece up close to really appreciate the quality, but the most significant aspect is the rarity of this association. I can't recall another specimen of Silver, Spessartine and Smithsonite together on the same piece from Broken Hill that we've had to offer. If you collect native elements, unusual association specimens or specimens from Broken Hill. Don't pass this one up, it's really attractive and worthwhile for what it is. The piece comes the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974. The piece is accompanied by a label from the Natural History Museum in Bern, Switzerland (No. L 12.188) which states it was either mined in 1976 or added to the Museum collection in 1976.