Tourmaline (classic CA old-timer) Larson Coll.

Item Description

Classic and impressive stout "green skinned" tourmaline from the famous Little Three Mine. The very glassy, highly lustrous, well-striated crystal appears to be very dark green to black schorl in normal light. Backlighting reveals a gemmy/translucent layered olive-green body below a matte luster black schorl pinacoidal termination.This is a typical style of large tourmalines for the locale, with the green verdelite tourmaline wrapped around a schorl core - and unique to this one mine in all of San Diego County's mineral wealth. Complete all-around and nearly pristine, with only a bit of termination edge wear. The embedded bladed cleavelandite sections are a typical accessory and excellent contrast. This fine crystal dates to the Louis Spalding collecting era of the 1970s and 80s, and from him to Bill Larson (mine owner to mine owner). The Ramona District is unique to the region in producing major amounts of gem-grade and specimen-grade topaz and spessartine. See the 2002 Mineralogical Record article in Vol. 33, No. 5. Ex Bill Larson San Diego County Pegmatite Collection and long on display at his Pala International shop in Fallbrook. A classic and excellent large tourmaline from the Little Three Mine. Hefty mass is 388 grams which is approaching a pound in weight! These are simply not for sale at any price and we were fortunate to get this old collection of such treasures. When they are gone...they are gone! Valued at $2000+.