Smithsonite var. Cobaltian ex Jack Halpern

Item Description

Incredible rich pink color makes this an important miniature for this style, with large elongated scalenohedrons of smithsonite of a classic Tsumeb habit. However, the color is REALLY strong for this material, not as pastel as they usually are. The specimen needs no backlighting, and is naturally translucent. The large crystals run from 1 cm to a whopping 2.2 cm across (lower large crystal at the base), and are arranged as an imposing knob , a full and competition-quality miniature specimen. It is complete all around, 360 degrees. While no dealer label survives with this, Jack has tol dme tht he bought most of his Tsumeb material directly from Walt Lidstrom and Prosper Williams, the great dealers of the time in the 1970s-1980s when this would have come out of the mine. Again, while you have seen a good many cobaltian smithsonites around the market, few have such strong color as this piece. Valued $2500, at least.