specimens from the AL ORDWAY COLLECTION

specimens from the
AL ORDWAY COLLECTION

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ORDWAY-44 - Hanksite - Giant Crystal from TYPE LOC. - $ 2500
Searles Lake, near Trona, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
large cabinet, 18.2 x 15.9 x 12.3 cm

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Several hanksite crystals, highlighted by a superbly formed, doubly terminated, crystal, 8.4 cm in length, are emplaced on matrix. The crystals exhibit a matte luster, good translucence. Note that these are lightly oiled with mineral oil to preserve them from changing environments (from the very wet and saturated environment in which they formed). As long as they are kept in air-conditioning and not exposed to profound dry air, they should be stable. This is a stunning and important example of the species, collected by Al Ordway sometime in the 1960s or 1970s

ORDWAY-43 - Kurnakovite - Giant Crystal - $ 3000
Baker mine, Boron, Kramer District, Kern Co., California, USA
large cabinet, 23.5 x 14.6 x 12.7 cm

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Two large crystals of kurnakovite, a magnesium rich borate, are emplaced on matrix. The "smaller" crystal, 12 cm across, is doubly terminated, lustrous and translucent, with a light gray color. It is HUGE for the species, in amazingly good condition, and frankly just off the charts compared to what you can normally get in this material. An old piece, collected in 1976 and bought from a rock shop in the Trona area. I have not personally seen comparable for sale in this size range - ever.

ORDWAY-42 - Kurnakovite - Giant Crystal - $ 2400
Baker mine, Boron, Kramer District, Kern Co., California, USA
large cabinet, 15.4 x 14.1 x 7.2 cm

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This is a very large, euhedral crystal of kurnakovite, a magnesium rich borate. The crystal is lustrous and translucent and exhibits a light gray color. It is HUGE for the species, in amazingly good condition, and frankly just off the charts compared to what you can normally get in this material. An old piece, collected in 1976 and bought from a rock shop in the Trona area.

ORDWAY-41 - Dioptase on Calcite - $ 750
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia
miniature, 4.8 x 3.2 x 2.4 cm

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The best dioptase specimens from Tsumeb (circa early 1980s) are generally considered to be those perched upon color-contrasting, white calcite, as here. Glassy and gemmy, rich emerald green dioptase crystals, to 9 mm across are emplaced on a crystallized druse of white calcite. Although one of minor side-car crystals is slightly contacted, the overall piece is outstanding and beautiful, a choice miniature for this important find without breaking the bank as they usually do.

ORDWAY-40 - Anatase on Quartz - $ 1250
Valdres, Oppland, Norway
miniature, 3.1 x 2.5 x 2.1 cm

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The presence of mirror-bright faces on a well formed 1.9 cm long, dark gray, anatase crystal, help make this specimen an unusually aesthetic piece . In addition, the anatase is aesthetically emplaced on a druse of nearly colorless quartz crystals. A minor bruise on the back of the anatase termination is not visible when the specimen is properly oriented, and overall this is a superb miniature.

ORDWAY-39 - Loparite-(Ce) (twinned) - $ 900
N'yorkpakhk, Khibiny Massif, Kola, N. Region, Russia
small cabinet, 6.2 x 4.0 x 3.5 cm

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A penetration twin of lustrous, black loparite, a very rare species in large crystals, is perched aesthetically on sugary white matrix. The crystal measures 1.2 cm across and is complete on all display faces, just contacted on the back side which is invisible when properly displayed. The crystal has superior luster for this species and pieces like this are seldom seen. I have seen many smaller, more typically matte crystals, generally loose, in the past (when Russian minerals first started coming out in quantity in the early 1990s), but not superb ones in some time. A member of the perovskite group, loparite contains titanium niobium , and a host of other elements bonded in a simple oxide.

ORDWAY-37 - Hanksite (TYPE LOC.) - $ 1200
Searles Lake, near Trona, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
small cabinet, 9.7 x 7.4 x 7.2 cm

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Shaped like a barrel with amazingly sharp, textbook-hexagonal symmetry, this is a large, translucent hanksite crystal in superb condition ! It has two smaller crystals emerging from its center for accents. Note that these are lightly oiled with mineral oil to preserve them from changing environments (from the very wet and saturated environment in which they formed). As long as they are kept in air-conditioning and not exposed to profound dry air, they should be stable.

ORDWAY-36 - Sulphohalite & Borax - $ 750
Searles Lake, near Trona, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
small cabinet, 7.4 x 6.4 x 6.2 cm

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A borax matrix is host to a single octahedron of matte luster, translucent, tan colored Sulphohalite crystal measuring 1.7 cm in length. In places the borax has started its inevitable, chalky white, alteration to the related species, tincalconite. An attractive and unusual combination piece - like several in the Ordway stash here, collected long ago and practically unheard of in such matrix-bound quality.

ORDWAY-34 - Sulphohalite & Borax - $ 600
Searles Lake, near Trona, San Bernardino Co., California, USA
small cabinet, 6.2 x 4.4 x 4.1 cm

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Nestled aesthetically in a vug of borax crystals is an octahedron of lustrous and translucent, lemon-yellow Sulphohalite, measuring 1.5 cm in length. It is surrounded by by lustrous and translucent, colorless crystals of borax, to 1 cm across. This is a SUPERB, sharp, and colorful example of this very rare species from its type locality. It also happens to be an aesthetic specimen on its own merits. We have not seen such an example of this species in the quality level, before.

ORDWAY-32 - Colemanite - $ 750
Kirka borate deposit, Eskisehir Province, Central Anatolia Region, Turkey
cabinet, 13.7 x 8.4 x 8.3 cm

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A rare, old locality piece of superb colemanite from this classic locality for the species. A cluster of sparkling, gemmy, intergrown, ivory colored crystals of colemanite, to 2.5 cm on a side, is aesthetically emplaced on matrix. The luster on these crystals is breathtaking and clearly different from California material. Seldom seen on the market today

ORDWAY-31 - Meyerhofferite after Inyoite - $ 750
20 Mule Team Canyon, Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park, Inyo Co., California, USA
cabinet, 11.9 x 9.5 x 6.7 cm

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Perched on matrix is an aesthetic cluster of opaque, snow white crystals to 4.5 cm in length, of meyerhofferite pseudomorphing inyoite. These are related and very rare calcium-rich borates. This replacement, and either species in big sharp crystals, is seldom found at any other locality (although recent finds in Argentina produced some). Such a pseudomorph is a very classic locality piece for this important deposit, though they are now only seldom seen for sale. Note, these are particularly soft and fragile - so large, cabinet pieces like this in good condition are hard to come by today. The color is a gorgeous white, literally like snow.

ORDWAY-24 - Thenardite - $ 450
Soda Lake, Carizzo Plains, San Luis Obispo County, California, USA
small cabinet, 9.8 x 7.4 x 4.8 cm

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A very aesthetic, sharp cluster of bipyramidal crystals of thenardite, a rare sodium sulfate, to 4 cm on a side. The display view clearly highlights the main crystal which resembles a spearpoint. These are generally considered best of species material, and really good ones are seldom seen on the market today.

ORDWAY-22 - Thenardite - $ 950
Soda Lake, Carizzo Plains, San Luis Obispo County, California, USA
large cabinet, 17.7 x 10.8 x 9.3 cm

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This is an extraordinary example of the species, an aesthetic cluster of thenardite crystals in bipyramidal, matte luster, translucent dark-gray crystals. They range to 4 cm on a side. The thenardite crystals are accompanied by snow white puffs of the rare borate, ulexite. For a large cabinet specimen, the crystals are remarkably pristine and for a gray specimen, it is remarkably aesthetic. These are generally considered best of species material, and good ones are seldom seen on the market today.

ORDWAY-19 - Zoisite - $ 400
near Laguna Hanson, Baja California, Mexico
small cabinet, 8.3 x 2.7 x 1.3 cm

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Most collectors know about the zoisite var. tanzanite gem mines in Arusha, Tanzania but this is the first I have heard of zoisite from Baja, Mexico. The main crystal is 8.3 cm in length and is doubly terminated and apparently twinned. The crystal is lustrous and translucent with dark golden amber color.There is an impression from what was another zoisite crystal on the upper third of the main crystal, but to me this adds to its beauty.

ORDWAY-18 - Epidote - $ 750
Garnet Hill, Calaveras Co., California, USA
small cabinet, 7.2 x 5.7 x 3.6 cm

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This is a large, blocky crystal of lustrous, dark pistachio green epidote The display side of the specimen is pristine save for a a small ding on the back side of the termination. The back side clearly exhibits two impressions where epidote crystals were once attached (contacts), but is otherwise complete all around, and is VERY sharp. This robust, blocky epidote is a major California piece.

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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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