superb rare Wulfenite (old classic circa 1900) ex Reynolds Coll.

Item Description

An important, very rich, and showy large wulfenite specimen from one of Arizona's great wulfenite producers, the Hilltop Mine. An impressive crystal measuring 1.6 cm on edge dominates the richly covered blocky matrix covered with translucent, moderate luster butterscotch-colored crystals. Hilltop Mine wulfenites are some of the most difficult to obtain in excellent specimens, due to the mine remoteness and old mining history - few survived in the beginning and even fewer survive until now. First produced in 1881, shipments were made by burro and wagon in the 1880s to about 1911 (you can research this and find old stories about Native Americans taking rifle shots at the caravans, and eventually it was just too remote and dangerous to keep producing in that era). The best production years were 1924-1927 and the mine was worked intermittently until about 1954 (MINDAT). The color is a classic butterscotch hue, typical for the mine in its early years, and this is simply an outstanding and rich large example of the style and locale. See the 1983 Mineralogical Record article in the Arizona-IV Special Issue, Vol. 14, No. 2. Formerly in the Bob Dryer Collection. Ex Bob Reynolds Collection, a well-known fossil and mineral expert and former Curator of the San Bernardino County Museum. He passed away in 2020. He treasured his Hilltop material and I have never seen so many in one place...this is one of the better specimens from the collection and from recent availability of anything from the locale. Valued $2500-5000 low to high.