Titanite (twin) on Calcite

Item Description

Going back to the 1990s, Tormiq has produced a great variety of excellent crystallized Titanite specimens, which vary in a range of colors and habits. Some of the varying finds include specimens that feature disc-like, tabular pinkish crystals and steep, honey colored wedge shaped crystals, but the most popular and attractive of all the habits of Titanite from this locality would have to be the gemmy, green, twinned crystals are by far the most desirable. These are "Alpine-type" Titanite crystals, reminiscent of the famous European Alpine Titanites from Austria, Italy or Switzerland. They would be worth a great deal to any Alpine collector if there were found in Europe. This specimen features a very pronounced, sharp, lustrous, gemmy, vibrant green color, twinned crystal of Titanite measuring 1.6 cm, associated with a few smaller twins of Titanite sitting atop Calcite matrix with tiny little "rosettes" of Clinochlore ("Chlorite"). No damage that I can see, and it displays beautifully. These pieces are some of the most difficult to obtain from Pakistan. and are now scarce on the market. This one is certainly worth picking up for anybody who collects minerals of Pakistan, "Alpine-type" minerals or simply fine display specimens. If I had this one priced for sale at a show, it would be in the $1,500 range. This piece is from the collection of the well-known mineral dealer Richard ("Rich") A. Kosnar (1946-2007) from Colorado, who was a serious collector of Alpine and "Alpine-Type" minerals from around the world. He was especially fond of Titanite from the European Alpine clefts and the nearly identical deposits in Pakistan. Rich's hand-painted number 270/510 can be seen on the bottom of the specimen.