Talc pseudomorph after Quartz (rare) (ex Kay Robertson Collection)

Item Description

When it comes to pseudomorphs, these have to rank among the more unlikely examples in nature as you have one of the softest minerals in Talc replacing a fairly hard species, Quartz. These are well over 100 years old, dating to the late 1800s - early 1900s I'm told. Specimens are quite rare on the market. This piece features several crystals of Quartz (some are only partial crystals) showing well-defined pyramidal hexagonal terminations that have been completely replaced by tan colored Talc on matrix. This material is sometimes referred to as Steatite. A really interesting and unique pseudomorph that is a must have for any fan of this kind of material. Ex Kay Robertson Collection (#3735). Kay was a prominent California collector, who specialized in European classics. She nearly lived 100 years from April 1920 - March 2020. See the article in the March-April, 2007 Mineralogical Record ( https://www.mineralogicalrecord.com/pdfs/Kay%20Robertson%20Collection.pdf ), and the 50+ page article in the German Magazine "Mineralien Welt" November-December 2017.