Smithsonite ("caterpillar") (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

Berg Aukus is one of the most famous Smithsonite localities in the world, and truly does not get the recognition is deserves. I have seen a wide variety of habits and colors of Smithsonites from this great locality, and this piece is no exception. It features an unusually stalactitic or "caterpillar"-shaped group of sharp, very well-formed, beautiful pastel golden color, compressed / layered rhombohedra of Smithsonite free of matrix. The quality is excellent, and good Smithsonites from Berg Aukus are among the most desirable for the locality. The top of the piece has a slightly imperfect growth, but I don't consider it to be damage. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#6673). Kay is a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics (see the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Velt" November-December 2017). Valued at $1200.