Synthetic Silicon (''Flying Saucer'')

Item Description

Here we have a unique and highly attractive specimen of synthetic Silicon. This native element is found in nature in very rare instances, and even synthetic examples are not terribly common on the market. This piece is a notably good sized example that was poured/formed in the shape of a "flying saucer" according to the label, though some of us saw different objects, like a bottle stopper, a pendulum or a general "discoid". From the synthetic mineral suite of William ("Bill") (1927-2006) and Anne (1928-2021) Cook of Cleveland, Ohio (#9973). This husband and wife duo were actively involved in the mineral world for many decades. Bill was a PhD geologist, and Anne was a mathematician, and they both were very serious mineral collectors. Bill served for many years as adjunct curator of mineralogy at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the Micromounters' Hall of Fame on October 12, 2019. Both Bill and Anne, at various times, served as president both of the Mineralogical Society of Cleveland and of the Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Anne was inducted into the mi The rare barium lithium beryllium phosphate Wilancookite was named in their honor in 2015.