BURMA MINERAL SPECIMENS from the mineral collection of William Larson

BURMA MINERAL SPECIMENS
from the mineral collection of William Larson

This update consists of two dozen specimens exchanged from the collection of Bill Larson, gem and mineral dealer, who played a large role in opening up fine mineral specimen exports from Burma over the years. Many were collected prior to 2000, and the rubies in particular are hard to replace on the market today.

US$ € EURO ¥ YEN £ POUND CAN$ AUS$
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page 1 / 2 - 19 specimens selected - next - bottom - back to the Galleries

BURMACOLL-20 - Jeremejevite - CAN$ 771
Mogok, Burma
thumbnail, 2.7 x 0.5 x 0.4 cm (largest of 5)

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There are five golden jeremejevite crystals, to 2.6 cm in length, in this lot: all of them being somewhat lustrous and gemmy. Rare locality specimens for this extremely desirable and uncommon gem species, not often seen in this color spectrum. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-18 - Topaz on Quartz - CAN$ 1542
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
small cabinet, 6.7 x 5.8 x 3.2 cm

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Erupting straight up from two glassy and gemmy, colorless quartz crystals to 4.5 cm in length, is a limpid, glassy and gemmy, colorless topaz crystal. This gem is bright and pretty - 2 inches (just over 5 cm) in length in total. The topaz is superbly centered high on its matrix. The mass is 114 grams. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-17 - Feldspar with Quartz - CAN$ 617
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
small cabinet, 6.7 x 4.3 x 3.5 cm

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An aesthetic combo specimen features a 6 cm long ,lustrous, cream-colored microcline crystal that has two lustrous and translucent, smoky quartz crystals, to 2.7 cm in length, at the base of the feldspar. Sharp and geometric, this piece has a porcelain-like beauty to it. There is even a secondary overgrowth on the back side of the larger microcline. A tiny ding at the termination of the microcline crystal does little to detract from the specimen. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-16 - Topaz on Quartz - CAN$ 9254
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
cabinet, 13 x 11.4 x 7.9 cm

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This very large combo specimen is composed of a 13 cm-long colorless quartz crystal attached to a doubly-terminated, glassy and gemmy, light champagne-colored topaz measuring 7 cm in length. The asssociation is unlikely, in such size and geometry, but there you have it. The topaz is actually complete, with an old break on the bottom grown over by later deposition of topaz. The basal termination on the bottom now is "healed", and it features many individual faces.The top termination is crystallographically interesting with its sharp steep faces in which you can find pyramids, prisms and a dome shape. There is very minor and insignificant bruising on the lower right hand side of the topaz. This is a major combo specimen from Mogok that weighs 824 grams (over 2 pounds). From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-15 - Topaz - CAN$ 1285
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
miniature, 4.7 x 4.1 x 3.3 cm

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If anything, this limpid and champagne colored topaz crystal is even gemmier than the previous one, just a bit smaller. It is face centered and clearly exhibits its perfect basal cleavage where it was removed from its matrix at bottom.. It has beautiful form , just classic; and is pristine save for a few tiny chips at the crystal edges mostly located on the left side (for which the price is now lowered even though it still has great impact in person). A classic topaz in form, color and beauty! The mass is 110 grams. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-14 - Topaz - CAN$ 2057
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
miniature, 5.2 x 4.8 x 3.3 cm

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Limpid and totally gemmy, this large face-centered, champagne-colored topaz crystal is smuch better in person because it is so glassy and clear, it is hard for the camera to focus! It is nearly pristine, save for a tiny ding on the right side of its large face. Contact at the base is common since the miners just pop them off their matrix, but the crystal itself is complete all around. I could gaze at it for hours at a time and not see all the details..it really just is THAT much cleaner and clearer in person. We have seldom had so much difficulty photographing a good gem crystal. The mass is 166 grams. Superb! From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-13 - Topaz - CAN$ 1285
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
miniature, 5.3 x 3.0 x 2.3 cm

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This is a limpid, glassy and gemmy champagne-colored topaz from Mogok. It has an unusual, complex termination, and the prism faces clearly exhibit growth striations and etch patterns both. This is literally a "jewel" in how it presents. The mass is 56 grams. It is comparable in form to some recent topaz from Argentina a few years ago, but this has more color saturation. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-11 - Ruby - CAN$ 2828
Mogok, Burma
thumbnail, 2.7 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm

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An intergrown cluster of lustrous and gemmy, pigeon's blood red ruby crystals, individually to 1.5 cm across but overall exceeding an inch in one dimension. The crystal appears to be doubly-terminated and is nearly a floater with just a small point of contact on the back. The mass is 23 grams. This is the choice color for ruby carving rough and is today in high demand, with most specimens selling to the Chinese buyers . From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-10 - Tourmaline - CAN$ 2571
Momeik, Mogok, Burma
small cabinet, 5.5 x 3.6 x 3.6 cm

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This is one of the botryoidal or mushroom shaped elbaites for which Mogok is noted, highly unusual "rounded" tourmalines. It features a 2.5 cm-across sphere atop. It is lustrous and translucent with a very eyepleasing cranberry-red color. A portion of the sphere has an uncovered bit where you can see inside to the schorl that the rubeelite red tourmaline overgrew. A superb example of this rare habit. The mass is 45 grams. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-07 - Ruby with Sphene - CAN$ 2057
Mogok, Burma
miniature, 4.7 x 3.2 x 2.0 cm

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Emplaced aesthetically, high on a white marble matrix, is a waxy, very lustrous and gemmy ruby crystal which measures 1.5 cm in length. The color, a classic pigeon's blood red, and the gemminess, are both outstanding. In fact, this is the premier desired color of historic rubies from this famous "Valley of Rubies" and pieces of this color satuyration would , and could still, be used to make excellent cabochon jewels in particular. For added effect, there is also a crystallized, translucent, untwinned titanite crystal measuring 1.5 cm across situated on the marble next to the ruby - a rare combination! The mass of the whole specimen is 33 grams. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-06 - Tourmaline var. Chromian - CAN$ 514
Mogok, Burma
miniature, 3.1 x 2.6 x 2.2 cm

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Unusual cluster of forest-green chrrome tourmaline crystals in parallel growth, exhibit emerald green translucence at their terminations. The largest crystal measures nearly 2 cm across. The color is induced by chromium in this case. There is minor contact at the base of the specimen on the back side but that pales with the rarity and beauty of the chrome tourmaline. The mass is 23 grams. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-05 - Cassiterite (rare locality piece) - CAN$ 1285
Sakangyi, Mogok, Burma
miniature, 4.2 x 2.8 x 2.3 cm

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Shiny black crystals of cassiterite, to 1.5 cm across, are associated with pearlescent muscovite which is nestled in the spaces between cassiterite crystals. Cassiterite is incredibly rare from the Mogok area. This is surely one of the finest examples and is in any case, the only good one that i have seen for sale. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-04 - Aquamarine showing tectonic bends - CAN$ 925
Ohngaing, Mogok, Burma
small cabinet, 7.0 x 1.7 x 1.0 cm

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This aquamarine crystal, weighing 22 grams, is lustrous and gemmy with an eyepleasing, rich blue color. Its uniqueness comes from the fact that it is not only tabular but appears to have been squeezed in different directions by tectonic movements. In other words, each of the two widest prism faces are parallel to each other but are. not mirror images. It looks like a tube of toothpaste at the end, rather. Unusual! As well, good beryl crystals are unusual for the Mogok gem pegmatites in any case. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-03 - Ruby - CAN$ 7712
Mogok, Burma
miniature, 3.9 x 2.7 x 2.5 cm

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It is hard to believe all these photos show the same piece, but they do - it is highly sculptural and decorative, different from each angle. This is a splendid, free-form etched ruby crystal that exhibits SUPERB waxy luster and translucence, along with an incredible rich red-purple color, commonly known as "pigeon's blood red" and classic for the district. In fact, this is the premier desired color of historic rubies from this famous "Valley of Rubies" and pieces of this color satuyration would , and could still, be used to make excellent cabochon jewels in particular. Portions of the crystal are so gemmy that facetted stones could be cut, as well. The ruby mass is 23 grams. This is an impactful specimen, and a floater, complete all around. From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

BURMACOLL-02 - Vanadian Uvite - CAN$ 1851
Mogok, Burma
thumbnail, 1.7 x 1.4 x 0.6 cm

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Uvite is an uncommon member of the tourmaline group , and it is exceptionally rare to find examples where the green color is engendered by vanadium as opposed to chromium or other more common chromophores in tourmaline. These came out in the mid 1990s and Bill Larson seemed to have most of them at the time (i bought many, but this is the one he kept). Analysis at the GIA showed the color to be due to vanadium, which is highly unusual. This crystal is lustrous and translucent and exhibits a most wonderful, saturated emerald-green color. A small specimen to some, a fullsized thumbnail specimen to others, and with the WOW factor. The mass is approx 2 grams so it is not heavy, but is volumetric because the surface termination spreads out like a pancake with a highly reduced long axis. So, in effect, you are orienting the crystal to look at the a and b axes for display, unlike with most tourmalines . The final photo shows that the piece is a floater, complete on the backside (although with less color). From the Burma collection of "Burma Bill" Larson, who has for decades brought out gems and then minerals as this region opened up to the trade in specimens.

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page 1 / 2 - 19 specimens selected - next - top - back to the Galleries

Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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