A dramatic, large, very pink-red tourmaline crystal showing classic bicolor effects as well , in its lower half. The crystal is complete all around, intergrown with a small feldspar crystal. The top termination is outstanding, not just broad and colorful but also lustrous. There are just a few trivial dings, despite its size. The bottom termination separates into several miniterminations, the longest of which is complete and sharp (a small subtermination near the feldspar crystal is broken off, but facing downwards and out of sight anyhow). Overall, a very impressive piece with intensity and lustre rarely obtained in this size for a price under five figures, these days. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

A beautiful, lustrous specimen of stibarsen, normally not one of your sexier metallic species. The piece is convex on one side, concave on the other, and presents nicely either way. This mineral is composed of simply AsSb - arsenic and antimony, with no other elements. It is a very weird thing, thus! From the collection of the University of Arizona Museum. Joe Budd photos

A rich example of this very rare species, composed of solid massive grandidierite with crystal faces on one side. Actually, it is one of the more attractive and well-crystallized examples of this material that I have seen, despite rough edges and a massive back. From the collection of the University of Arizona Museum, purchased in 1975 from a contemporary find here at that time. Joe Budd photos

A beautiful and classic bicolor Himalaya with an exaggerated, elongated green zone ending in a long prismatic termination. 21 grams. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

This large, 152-gram tourmaline is big and imposing in form. It has a lot of subtle color gradations when backlit, but we need to say that in just frontal lighting, it has a dull lustre and matte finish that prevent such good colors coming out without the backlighting. The terminations are both complete and the piece is a floater, with no repairs despite its size. The red termination is particularly robust. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

A highly unusual amethyst specimen - this being a slice cut from a single large crystal out of India. We do not know the exact locale, but I have seen large amethysts that might cut such sections out of Karur District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is 35 grams, and polished both sides. The inner patterns here are fascinating and unusual! From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

A rich, hefty specimen (37 grams) from a classic old mining district for tellurium species. This piece has native tellurium in bright, lamellar crystals in massive matrix, and almost certainly some other rare species could be present as well. From the collection of the University of Arizona Museum, ex. Hatcher collection (donated sometime long ago as the very old UA label number is #1232). Joe Budd photos

A rich example of this very rare mercury species, with almost solid coverage of brilliantly colorful microcrystals. From the collection of the University of Arizona Museum, ex. Rukin Jelks collection (donated in the 1990s). Joe Budd photos

This is one of the most famous pockets of Amazonite found, of all time, for its distinctive style. The Keyhole Pocket was found June 20, 1986, and dispersed into the major collections. Hubert MonMonier purchased it at that time. It is one of the larger plates of thsi find that I have seen turn up for sale in the last 20 years, and they will ONLY come up as collections are recycled. As well, nothing quite like it has been found since, with this style of separated, isolated crystals of turquoise-blue nestled in the white matrix of bladed cleavelandite. Remarkably despite its size and mass (over a kilo) , there are no repairs or restorations as there are on nearly all sizable amazonites mined in recent times. The large crystal is 2 inches across. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

A classic US locality specimen, this piece features sharp red-pink rhodonite crystals to 1.5 cm in calcite matrix. The calcite fluoresces a strong , intense orange color under UV. From the collection of the University of Arizona Museum, ex. GM Butler collection (donated in the 1960s). Joe Budd photos

This is a rich rosy-pink colored "fan-spray" of crystals that is really impactful, due to both the color and lustre - uncommonly good and even for a piece this size. It also is composed of unusually fat, robust crystals which sparkle nicely from their broad faces. Some of the crystals reach 1.5 inches in size, and the whole plate is composed of such robust pink crystals grown into one another, end to end. It is nearly a floater, with just a few small contacts on the sides, and actually complete and smooth in back where it must have grown against a large crystal of another mineral. Although not the gemmiest rose quartz, this piece has an overall style quite different from the norm. Also, whereas most rose quartz specimens tend to have small bits of rose quartz on other minerals, this is a solid plate with a LOT of impact and richness of the rose quartz itself. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos