Witherite (superb quality - rare locality) (ex Henry de Linde Collection)

Item Description

When it comes to Witherite from the United States, most collectors would probably think of the specimens from Southern Illinois, but for my money, the crystals from the lesser known Pigeon Roost Mine in Arkansas are superior in terms of quality, gemminess and textbook crystallization. They are quite different from their Illinois cousins, or even the classic old Witherites from England, as their habit is notably THICK blades, but they are also impressively gemmy, sharp and lustrous. This specimen features a beautiful intergrown group of superb Witherite crystals measuring up to 3.4 cm across with a soft golden to white color sitting on very minor Stanley Shale matrix. There are areas on the corners of a few crystals which are completely WATER CLEAR, almost never seen in the species regardless of the locality. The faces are well-defined and distinct, and each individual crystal on this specimen is separate from the other, so they're not "jumbled". These are RARE and important, as they might be the best quality crystals of Witherite in the world. This piece was difficult to photograph due to the fact that it's attached to the box in which it is stored, but it's better in person, take my word for it. Valued at $1,500 for the size and quality. From the collection of Henry de Linde (March 21, 1923 – April 4, 2019) of Hot Spring, Arkansas. Henry was one of the most prominent figures in the history of Arkansas mining and mineral collecting. Along with being a miner, mineral collector and an amateur mineralogist, de Linde was one of the founders of the Coon Creek Association mineral club. He was the owner of several key localities in Arkansas including the Diamond Jo Quarry (on the south rim of Magnet Cove), the type locality for Delindeite, which was named in his honor in 1987.