Spodumene (old classic New England material)

Item Description

PLEASE NOTE: The label accompanying this specimen states that it is from "Fairfield, Conn.", but no specific locality is given. Even though it looks like it COULD be from the Fillow Quarry, I can't say for certain. If anybody out there has info as to the origin of this specimen, please let us know. The piece has the iconic sand / beige color seen in this material with excellent crystal form. The "sword"-shaped monoclinic termination along with the deep striations along the prism are not only well-defined, but are rare to see in this material in my experience. Many of the crystals from around this area are often broken "chunks", and not fully-terminated examples. It's important to note that there is a contacted areas on the front portion of the crystal near the termination. A bit of silvery, thin bladed crystals of Muscovite can be seen here and there, and they almost appear to be growing epitaxially on the surface of the Spodumene, though I think it's just an optical illusion. As mentioned before, there is an old typed label from an unknown collection with the piece, which carries the catalogue number 984. With that said, if you collect pegmatite minerals, classic New England material or historic examples of well-known species, do not miss out on this attractive and well-formed example from Connecticut. Lastly, please be aware that it appears this piece has been repaired, possibly decades ago, but there is a defined area where it looks as though the crystal was once broken and has since been repaired or at least reinforced. Valued at $1,500-$2,000.