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Over the last 4-5 years, a number of ventures have been undertaken to
attack pegmatites in this region that have produced the best
Brazilianite crystals found since the 1940s, though of very differrent
form and style from the old material located in Corrego Frio. These
few specimens were highgraded from several pockets found over the last
2 years, and stashed in Brazil until recently. They represent, in a
broad price range, among the best specimens for overall condition and
aesthetics found in this effort that we are aware of. Although there
are others, some costing quite a bit more money even, that hit the
market - each piece here is of a quality and condition that should be
considered of the highest level. I was amazed when one of my sources
showed me what few had been kept back and not brought up here yet, and
I feel that this is an opportunity to get something truly exquisite at
relatively reasonable prices compared to what you have to pay to get
the superlative level in other gem crystals such as tourmaline or
beryl. In particular, there are few brazilianites found between the
1940s original finds and now that I rate as world class, at this
level.
Dr. Wendell Wilson, editor of The
Mineralogical Record, contributed this note after my initial
posting: Teofilo Otoni is a major town in Minas Gerais where a lot of
local dealers sell specimens, so it is sometimes given as a default
locality when the real mine name is unknown. These were not from
Teofilo. The Marcel Telirio mine was opened around 1970 and was
worked as a 20-meter-diameter open pit with two lower adits until a
cave-in in 1972 resulted in its abandonment. It was reopened in 1995
or 1996 and since then has yielded many very fine brazilianite
specimens with somewhat prismatic crystals of a bright greenish yellow
color, with good transparency, very sharp edges and smooth, lustrous
faces. For some reason, the crystals and small to large clusters tend
to form very aesthetic arrangements, much more frequently than one
might reasonably expect. I consider it to be Brazil's most under-rated
occurrence. I'd love to have an article on that locality, as I
consider the pieces from there to be the best in quality since the
original Corrego Frio find. (PS--You may quote me.)
bg03 - Brazilianite on Quartz - $3000 Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil cabinet, 11.2 x 9.5 x 7.8 cm
A most unusual specimen with a 2.5-cm brazilianite crossing the termination of a gorgeous, jewel-like quartz crystal , totally water-clear and perched in albite matrix. The quartz measures about 8 cm tall and its termination is freestanding save for the crossing brazilianite atop. VERY dramatic and unusual specimen!
bg04 - Brazilianite on Albite - $9500 SOLD Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil small cabinet, 9.3 x 7.1 x 4.2 cm
A robust small cabinet sized specimen featuring a dramatic 6 x 3 x 1.8 cm brazilianite crystal leaping up from a cluster of smaller ones, all with excellent lustre and color. A 5-cm-long doubly-terminated crystal crosses its base. The overall size and balance of this cluster, and the color intensity of the crystal which is very deeply hued for the find, make this an important specimen of higher quality than the (relatively reasonable?) price seems to reflect.
bg05 - Brazilianite - $12500 Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil cabinet, 12.2 x 8.7 x 5.9 cm
A MONSTROUS 11 x 4.2 x 3 cm brazilianite crystal dominates this specimen, braced up by trusses of smaller crystals and sparing muscovite matrix behind. The lustre and color are high, although the translucency on this one is not as good as in others here, certainly due to the unusual thickness of the crystal. I was shocked at the size of this complete crystal, the largest single brazilianite crystal I have seen from ANY of the modern era workings at either the old or new locality. It is a very important specimen, for this reason.
bg06 - Brazilianite on Albite - $9500 SOLD Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil small cabinet, 6.9 x 4.5 x 2.9 cm
This crystal is a pristine, complete, translucent jeweel measuring 7 x 3 x 2 cm in size and perched atop a small natural pedestal of crystallized albite matrix. I think the pics say it all! It is SUPERB in quality and among the best brazilianites for the size range that I could imagine.
bg07 - Brazilianite on Albite - $6000 Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil small cabinet, 6.6 x 5.4 x 3.3 cm
A pristine small cabinet sized specimen with literally jewel-like quality, featuring sparkling brazilianites to 4 cm that are unusually translucent/transparent. The vertical crystal and the doubly-terminated diagonal crystal on the left half ar e both 4 cm. Everything here is pristine and complete all around. It is gram for =gram the finest quality of any of the new brazilianites I have obtained or seen recently.
bg08 - Brazilianite on Albite - $11500 SOLD Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil cabinet, 14.6 x 11.2 x 8.6 cm
We nicknamed this one "the corsage" for its robust 3-dimensional aesthetics, and the fact that the top half of the specimen looks like a spray of flowers. It features numerous crystals of 4-5 cm. One crystal, on the right side, poking out towards you in the photo, is 7 cm tip to tip, extending to the rear of the specimen and doubly-terminated. These crystals have outstanding translucency and lustre, exceptionally good relief and crystallography, and just "sparkle" from many angles. Overall, this large specimen is one of the few larger pieces with tons of crystals upon it that I find is able to transcend its "jumbliness" because of the special way in which the multiple crystals are arranged. It is VERY dramatic, perched up on a custom base, and MUCh more impressive and sparkling in person than the pics can convey.
bg01 - Brazilianite on Albite - $29500 Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil cabinet, 13.6 x 9.4 x 4.3 cm
This matrix of albite hosts four doubly-terminated crystals to 5.5 cm in length, all pristine and complete (they are 5.5, 5.5, 5, and 4.5 cm in size). The largest is 2.2 cm wide. All crystals have razor sharp, bevelled terminations that are as good as you can ask for this modern style of brazilianite found at Linópolis, markedly different from the old material out of Corrego Frio. The display face is absolutely pristine and complete, with wraparound crystals about 270 degrees around the specimen. It stands dramatically on a custom-made base. The pictures DO NOT do this piece justice! It is stunning in person.
bg02 - Brazilianite on Albite - $34500 SOLD Telírio claim, Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil cabinet, 11.7 x 9.9 x 8.6 cm
A major specimen with incredible aesthetics, this large piece features a dominating freestanding, upright, complete-all-around crystal measuring 5 x 3 x 2 cm shooting up from a central matrix. Right below it is a 7-cm-long and 3-cm-wide doubly -terminated crystal, literally just hanging off the side in a fashion that looks too contrived to be real. Yet, it is solidly anchored to the matrix and clearly not put on. The display face is absolutely pristine and complete, and crystals wrap around the sides of the specimen. This is a MAJOR PIECE, much more impressive and 3-dimensional in person! Bronze-colored, metallic, muscovites provide a final accent to the piece, a bit of color contrast that is more obvious in person. All Content and Design ©1996-2008 The Arkenstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
