Wulfenite (fine classic material)

Item Description

A good cabinet sized display specimen of the classic old time Wulfenites from Los Lamentos. Typically, Wulfenite as a species forms crystals that are rather thin and "wafer"-like but the crystals from this locality are almost always a bit thicker in habit. This piece features gorgeous, thick, fine quality, beautiful strong orange colored tabular crystals of Wulfenite measuring up to 1.4 cm on white Calcite and host rock matrix. When you look at the crystals on their sides, you can see they have a "banded" or almost "sandwich" like layered form. Despite the thick nature of the Wulfenite crystals, they are still a bit translucent in areas when backlit,. Most of the Wulfenites are undamaged, but there are some broken crystals, so the specimen is not completely pristine. I love the slick vitreous lusters on the edges of the crystals, which gives them character and a beautiful reflective sheen. If you collect Wulfenites, secondary ore minerals, or specifically minerals of Mexico, these pieces are almost essential to have in your collection from this famous locality. Valued $1,500.
From the collection of Gary and Terry Butts of Livermore, Colorado. This husband and wife collecting duo were childhood sweethearts, and have been together since they began dating as teenagers growing up in East Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s. Both of them had an early interest in the hobby thanks to the fact that Terry's parents had a keen interest in lapidary, which sparked an interest in rocks for both of them. Gary and Terry were featured in an article in the Des Moines Register on Feb 4, 1962 (see photo in this listing) highlighting their interest and prowess in the hobby as youngsters. Gary traveled to various localities around the US as a teenager with his father (who worked in the tin industry), to personally collect specimens. He then attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and graduated in 1967 with a degree in extractive metallurgical engineering. We went to work for Duval Corp at the Esperanza Mine south of Tucson, Arizona and then work for Cyprus Mines, Hazen Research, Pincock, Allen & Holt and the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. His final job was in the mineral and environmental division of Intertek Testing Services of London, which owned the Canadian mineral testing company, Bonder Clegg. Gary's various jobs allowed him to travel the world and build his collection by buying a lot of specimens in person when they were coming out of the ground. Additionally, Terry's uncle was a miner in Creede, Colorado and later owned a rock shop which supplied Gary with specimens from the area. The specimens in this auction represent what Gary and Terry considered the "cream of the crop" of their collection.