APZ1 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

15.0x 10.9x 6.6 cm             

$490

A cabinet sized cluster of purple amethyst points on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas.

APZ2 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

8.1x 7.0x 5.6 cm             

$460

A cluster of purple amethyst points on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas.

Although this is a contemporary piece, the size and color of the crystals are more reminiscent of the specimens recovered here in the 1980's.  The bulk of specimens from this location typically consist of narrower crystals with the color concentrated near the tips (see the preceding specimen)

APZ3 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

6.7x 5.0x 3.2 cm             

$375

An old-time cluster of purple amethyst points, from 1980's finds near Las Vigas.

Unlike the other pieces on this page which are more recent, this piece comes from an old collection, and displays thicker crystals, with  a slightly deeper and more evenly distributed color.  That is in contrast to more modern examples, which typically host narrower crystals that have color concentrated near the terminations. 

APZ4 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

7.1x 2.6x 4.2 cm             

$220

A doubly terminated, purple amethyst crystal with a sceptered appearance, on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas. 

Although this is a contemporary piece, the size and color of the crystal is more reminiscent of the specimens recovered there in the 1980's.  The bulk of contemporary specimens from this location typically consist of narrower crystals with the color concentrated near the tips.

The matrix has a light green hue that contrasts well with the amethyst, though which unfortunately does not show up too well in the photographs.

APZ5 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

5.8x 3.7x 3.0 cm             

$185

A terminated, purple amethyst crystal on matrix, from recent finds near Las Vigas. 

Although this is a contemporary piece, the size and color of the crystal is more reminiscent of the specimens recovered there in the 1980's.  The bulk of contemporary specimens from this location typically consist of narrower crystals with the color concentrated near the tips.

The matrix has a light green hue that contrasts well with the amethyst, though which unfortunately does not show up too well in the photographs.

TKR30 Amethyst 

Piedra Parada, near Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

10.8x 9.5x 4.4 cm             

$375

A nice cluster of amethyst crystals on a matrix colored faintly green by a light druse of epidote.  I particularly liked the positioning and arrangement of the crystals on this one. 

APZ6 Azurite on Malachite 

Bou Bekker Mine, Touissit, Oujda-Angad Prov., Morocco

8.2x 5.8x 2.3 cm             

$350

A very beautifully composed specimen, with two orbicular rosettes of azurite, positioned on a nicely contrasting malachite matrix.

I've seen a number of these, but seldom are they are aesthetically arranged-- usually you encounter asymmetrical azurite clusters somewhat haphazardly arranged on their matrix.

If you wanted to, this could also be trimmed into an exceptional thumbnail/ toenail, but I will leave it as is. 

APZ7 Scheelite 

Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang, Chenzhou, Hunan, China

5.1x 4.2x 3.6 cm             

$285

A well-balanced group of purplish brown scheelite crystals on matrix, from the Yaogangxian Mine, one of three primary localities for the mineral in China (the other two are at Mt. Xuebaoding in Sichuan, and at Huanggang in Inner Mongolia.)  

Years ago, Yaogangxian minerals were so common that they were a staple of the wholesalers.  As with all Chinese deposits however, things dry up and become scarce.

This piece has no damage. 

APZ8 Titanite var. Sphene 

Alchuri, Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan

5.7x 3.5x 3.0 cm             

$250

A twinned green crystal of sphene, nicely positioned on matrix.  This piece likely dates to the 90's. 

APZ9 Epidote 

Hachupa, Shigar Valley, Skardu, Pakistan

6.0x 3.7x 0.3 cm             

$275

A beautiful example of faden epidote from Pakistan, that closely resembles the classic European pieces. 

This cluster is complete all around, with multiple complete terminations, and much more geminess than the more common pieces from Tormiq.

APZ10 Vesuvianite 

Jeffrey Mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada

4.4x 3.0x 2.0 cm             

$400

A cluster of gemmy yellow vesuvianite crystals, from the now-closed Jeffrey Mine, also known for its stunning grossular garnets.

APZ11 Elbaite Tourmaline 

Minas Gerais, Brazil

4.9x 4.8x 1.7 cm             

$500

A sizable crystal of translucent greenish tourmaline from Brazil. 

APZ12 Axinite-(Fe) 

Puiva Mount, Saranpaul, Prepolar Ural, Tyumenskaya Oblast', Urals Region, Russia

7.5x 5.5x 2.7 cm             

$375

A decently sized cluster of brown axinite blades, with a slight purplish hue, likely from finds in the mid 90's. 

APZ13 Datolite 

Bor Pit, Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

9.5x 8.1x 1.6 cm             

$230

An unusual datolite specimen for Dal'negorsk-- it is yellow.  The bulk of the datolites from the various localities in the area are greenish, but this one is very solidly yellow.  

The only other locality I can think of for obviously yellow datolite is Michigan's upper peninsula, but those are cryptocrystaline nodules colored by impurities, rather than being composed of actual yellow crystals.

The black crystals are very small ilavites scattered over the datolite.  Slightly older material, with crystals on both sides.

APZ14 Pyrrhotite 

Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

10.1x 7.1x 3.0 cm             

$380

A very large and sharp crystal of pyrrhotite from Dal'Negorsk.  The crystal displays textbook form and is remarkably well exposed-- usually they are half embedded in matrix.

There is a sizable chip on the upper right of the specimen (this is visible in the lower two images) but this is almost invisible when the specimen is displayed as shown in the image to the right of this description  

APZ15 Pyrrhotite 

Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

5.4x 4.5x 4.8 cm             

$165

A group of brassy pyrrhotite crystals on a matrix of quartz and sulfides.

APZ16 Pyrrhotite 

Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

6.0x 5.4x 5.3 cm             

$175

A group of lustrous, brass colored pyrrhotite crystals stacked on a matrix of quartz and sulfides, with a little bit of calcite.

APZ17 Pyrrhotite 

Dal'Negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

6.7x 5.5x 3.7 cm             

$185

A group of brassy pyrrhotite crystals on a matrix of quartz and sulfides. Well exposed, showing good form.

APZ18 Dioptase 

Mindouli Dist., Republic of Congo

3.0x 2.1x 1.0 cm             

$200

A nice "toenail" of large and terminated dioptase crystals from a recent find in the Mindouli District in the Republic of Congo.  The bulk of the specimens were plates of rather jumbled crystals, but this one showed a bit more distinctness between its crystals.

APZ19 Orthoclase 

Hirukawa Area, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan

5.7x 2.0x 1.4 cm             

$165

A sharp orthoclase crystal, from Japan.  Old material, collected at least 20 years ago. 

APZ20 Orthoclase 

Hirukawa Area, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, Chubu Region, Honshu Island, Japan

7.8x 1.8x 2.2 cm             

$175

A sharp orthoclase crystal, from Japan.  Old material, collected at least 20 years ago. 

RESERVED

APZ21 Quartz incl. Cookite and Tremolite

Obira mine, Ono-gun, Oita prefecture, Kyushu Region, Japan
8.5x 2.2x 1.9 cm

$175

A quartz crystal included by hairy (tremolite?) and some cookeite spheres.  

It seems that the first generation (which now constitutes the internal phantom) was included heavily with tremolite.  Cookeite spheres deposited on its surface, and then a second generation of quartz grew over all that, creating what you see here.

This was the largest single crystal available.

A beautiful and unusual example of rare Japanese material. 

APZ22 Quartz incl. Cookite and Tremolite

Obira mine, Ono-gun, Oita prefecture, Kyushu Region, Japan
6.5x 2.7x 1.6 cm

$165

A quartz crystal included by hairy (tremolite?) and a couple cookeite spheres.  

A beautiful and unusual example of rare and unusual Japanese material. 

APZ23 Quartz incl.Tremolite

Obira mine, Ono-gun, Oita prefecture, Kyushu Region, Japan
5.2x 1.8x 1.3 cm

$155

A sharply terminated quartz crystal included by hairy (tremolite?).

A beautiful and unusual example of rare and unusual Japanese material. 

APZ24 Quartz incl. Papagoite 

Messina District, Limpopo Prov., South Africa 

4.7x 2.5x 2.5 cm             

$450

A doubly terminated quartz crystal, included by deep blue papagoite.  

This mine is famous for this type of specimen, as well as for quartz crystals included by slightly more greenish ajoite-- the papagoite included specimens have always been rarer, however.

For whatever reason, the hippies seem to go nuts over these things.... It has been in my possession since Tucson, but my health hasn't gotten any worse or better as a result.   Hmm....  

APZ25 Anatase 

Kharran, Baluchistan, Pakistan

4.5x 6.2x 2.8 cm             

$250

A group of doubly terminated anatase crystals to 1 cm, on matrix, from Kharran.  

This piece comes from an Australian collection.

I have handled hundreds of these things, and this is one of the few where I can actually see a bit of geminess in the crystals-- the color is dark, but there are distinct zones or translucency.  That is particularly unusual in crystals of this size-- the few examples I had seen in the past derived their translucency from the thin geometry of the crystals.