Specularite on Hematite (Sutcliffe Coll.)

Item Description

A striking and very showy plate from the famous Florence Mine. Scintillating, silvery-black metallic plates of specularite hematite in aesthetic form on the massive hematite matrix. The three, partially isolated botryoids at the top of the piece make for a sculptural specimen. A single, 3 mm, textbook, sharp, glassy, beta-quartz-type crystal on the left edge is a nice accent. Classic material recovered in the 1960s mining operations and formerly in the Mrs. Donnelly Collection, whose husband was a miner there. Ex Ralph Sutcliffe Collection, noted English collector and dealer.