superb Canadian Amethyst (from a 19th C. Zurich Coll.)

Item Description

Talk about a surprise we found in an old European purchase...here is an exceptional and aesthetic OLD-TIME small cabinet amethyst from Thunder Bay, Ontario that would be a killer even by modern standards! Super glassy, bi-colored, transparent to translucent, sharply terminated crystals highlight the beautifully composed and balanced 3-dimensional piece. The crystals have striking, gem rich grape-purple tips above the blush-purple, translucent bodies. The impressive, dominating crystals at the crest reach 2.7 cm tall and there is no hematite tinting in these crystals. Very nearly pristine, especially for an old-timer, it is basically complete with only trivial bruising. The Thunder Bay amethyst deposits were exploited in association with several silver, lead and zinc deposits in the Thunder Bay Region. The nearby very famous and rich Silver Islet Mine was discovered in 1868. We found and include a historic MR issue on the location. THis is from an old 19th century Zurich collection (nothing more modern than the late 1800s) and comes with a 1982 Mineralogical Record issue with a locality article, courtesy of us. Value of such a fine old rarity??? Even if modern, this would seriously be a valuable Canadian quatrz specimen worth four figures. It is the oldest example from here we have seen for sale, as well.