Wulfenite (find old classic) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The mines at Mezica (Miess) in the former Yugoslavia have produced some of the most iconic Wulfenites in Europe. This attractive small cabinet display specimen hosts a group of fine quality, sharp, lustrous, gorgeous orange colored, thick tabular crystals of Wulfenite measuring up to 1.5 cm sitting on host rock matrix. The crystals are good sized for the locality, and they actually show a bit of a bi-colored effect when viewed along the edges, not unlike similar crystals I've seen from Los Lamentos, Mexico. I love the fact that these crystals are rather thick for the species, and not paper-thin blades like we often see for the species. The crystals on this specimen are much sturdier than your typical examples of the species. The vast majority of the crystals are pristine, though a few small broken crystals and minor imperfections can be seen here and there. If you collect secondary ore minerals, general Wulfenites or minerals from central Europe, don't miss out on this attractive old time specimen dating back many decades. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #16407CL, and originally obtained on February 8, 2001 from Dr. Petr Sztacho in Tucson. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999. This specimen was valued at $1,500 retail for reference.