Sphalerite (1950s)

Item Description

This specimen was originally part of Garry Butts' "teenage" collection, and was acquired directly from the legendary Boodle Lane Rock Shop in Kansas in the 1950s. It's a showy and three-dimensional display piece loaded with dozens of sharp, well-formed, deep reddish-black "Ruby Jack" Sphalerite crystals measuring up to about 8 mm on edge, associated with minor Calcite and supposedly Aragonite according to Gary's info, though I can't recall seeing Aragonite on any of these specimens in the past. With that said, most of these Sphalerites can be a bit boring in their presentation, but this piece is big and eye-catching with a sculptural form, and my favorite aspect is that it sits beautifully on its own without the aid of a base or clay. Most of the crystals are in fine condition, with the exception of a few small blemishes. Some of the really tiny Sphalerite are actually quite gemmy and show a fiery color internally (most of them are actually on the bottom of the specimen). A wonderful example of these old classics from the Tri-State area, dating back approximately 70 years.
From the collection of Gary and Terry Butts of Livermore, Colorado. This husband and wife collecting duo were childhood sweethearts, and have been together since they began dating as teenagers growing up in East Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s. Both of them had an early interest in the hobby thanks to the fact that Terry's parents had a keen interest in lapidary, which sparked an interest in rocks for both of them. Gary and Terry were featured in an article in the Des Moines Register on Feb 4, 1962 (see photo in this listing) highlighting their interest and prowess in the hobby as youngsters. Gary traveled to various localities around the US as a teenager with his father (who worked in the tin industry), to personally collect specimens. He then attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and graduated in 1967 with a degree in extractive metallurgical engineering. We went to work for Duval Corp at the Esperanza Mine south of Tucson, Arizona and then work for Cyprus Mines, Hazen Research, Pincock, Allen & Holt and the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. His final job was in the mineral and environmental division of Intertek Testing Services of London, which owned the Canadian mineral testing company, Bonder Clegg. Gary's various jobs allowed him to travel the world and build his collection by buying a lot of specimens in person when they were coming out of the ground. Additionally, Terry's uncle was a miner in Creede, Colorado and later owned a rock shop which supplied Gary with specimens from the area. The specimens in this auction represent what Gary and Terry considered the "cream of the crop" of their collection.