Vanadinite (arsenic-bearing)

Item Description

An impressive, classic and rarely seen arsenic-bearing Vanadinite specimen from Touissit, Morocco. While most people are familiar with the famous red Vanadinites from Mibladen, these elusive arsenic-bearing crystals were found in the mid to late 1970s, and were never really found again in any great quantity. Originally these were thought to be (and marketed as) specimens of Pyromorphite, but analysis showed they are what used to be called "Endlichite", (formerly a valid species), but it's all now defined as a variety of Vanadinite. This piece features good sized, fine quality, sharp, well-formed, robust, hexagonal prisms measuring up to 1.2 cm, aesthetically sitting on matrix. The crystals range in color from a light tan hue to a pastel silvery-greenish color to a soft dusty yellow tone. The piece is in good shape, though there is one contacted area on the upper side , and a few small nicks here and there. This is old material, very rarely seen on the market these days, you can only get them from old collections. Valued at $4,000 in our inventory. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#133 M), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection over the next two to three years through our various platforms.