Vanadinite on Baryte

Item Description

Classic and striking, this 3-dimensional Vanadinite on Baryte is from one of the world's prime Vanadinite localities, Mibladen. Highly translucent with an almost mirror-like luster, these orange-red, tabular, hexagonal prisms glisten in the light, with many having finely-beveled edges that add great detail as they catch the light. The Vanadinites range up to 6 mm across, and they are peppered about the specimen in singles and clusters. The Baryte blades are sharp, off-white, with a grey-black oxide coating on the edges that gives them tremendous visual heft. Considering that this was mined in back in 1971, the condition of the piece is excellent, with surprisingly few nicks on either species. The contrasts between the burnt-orange and the black/white, as well as the variations in form and luster, create a very dramatic and appealing aesthetic that shows exactly why Mibladen combinations such as this have been so admired and coveted. It is not huge, or particularly valuable for either species alone - but it is a sparkling, beautiful, classic combination that spent the last 50 years or so in a prominent collection because she loved it for its beauty and it stands out compared to others. Note the low number in the collection, only in the 20,000s!