Vesuvianite, Ellestadite, Tobermorite (fl), and Calcite

Item Description

An antique USA mineral specimen with amazing provenance: Vesuvianite, usually metamorphic in origin, dominates this fine, and large, small cabinet specimen from the Crestmore Quarries in California. Most are intergrown, but a few lustrous, well-formed terminations display nicely. Associated are attractive, blue Calcite and what has historically been called "Crestmorite", a mixture of the rare silicates Tobermorite and Ellestadite. Ellestadite is actually a series, with one member having Crestmore as its type locality. Here, the tan grains of Ellestadite are found within the field of snow-white Tobermorite grains. Unexpectedly, the Tobermorite exhibited a bright, whitish-yellow fluorescence. This vintage and meaningful specimen has great provenance, having gone from the old dealership of Ward's to the collections of William S. Vaux, the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, and Chris Stefano.