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02edd64n - Quartz var. "Herkimer Diamond" - $6000 Ace of Diamonds Mine, Middleville, Herkimer County, New York small cabinet, 9.0 x 8.5 x 3.3 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
This is a particularly aesthetic cluster of herk's, with real elegance to it instead of the "jumbliness" we so often get in larger chain clusters of these gem crystals. For that matter, the piece has crystals of a uniform gemminess and clarity , not marred by the usual ugly duckling in the midst of most clusters of several crystals or more. Taken together, these qualities make it a very special piece. Ed loved these, and had over 15 examples in the collection, more than any other variety of quartz. All, like this one, were carefully chosen by somebody who's seen literally hundreds over the years, to be extra special. I should say that, as with generally ALL large herkimer clusters, this piece is multiply repaired (by the collectors, usually). Comes with custom base.
03edd37a - Franklinite in Willemite, Zincite, and Calcite - $5000 SOLD Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensberg, New Jersey cabinet, 9 x 9 x 8 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
An exceptionally dramatic piece with a stark 4 cm franklinite just sitting nicely in matrix of zincite, willemite, and calcite. The crystal is remarkably free of cracking, which happens often in larger crystals; and also free of shoe polish and glue fill in said cracks - a more frequent occurence than we specimen collectors like to admit. But, in the old days, it was almost a tradition to fake and build up broken franklinite crystals in matrix! Luckily, this one survived and was never played with. It probably dates to older workings in the late 1800s to early 1900s, and is not recently found.
04edd97j - Ruby (Chatoyant) - $6000 SOLD Mogok District, Burma miniature, 3.5 x 3.3 x 1.4 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
This is a superb single crystal of ruby, unusually well formed in hexagonal shape with waxy lustre. It probably has considerable value as carving rough because of the natural chatoyance, in which the color shifts between more red and more lavender in different lighting. It is opaque, but has zones of translucency. My catalogue shows that Ed paid $7500 to Bill Larson for this in 2000, to pry it out of his personal Burma collection. A better value, now, amortized in the collection!
05edd293a - Zoisite var. Tanzanite - $7750 - now in the jack halpern collection!) - SOLD Merelani Hills, Umba Valley, Arusha District, Tanzania small cabinet, 8.1 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
A VERY showy, very blue, natural tanzanite that shows well the purple and blue dichroism inherent in the species from this locality. It is either natural in color or lightly heated to enhance the blue hue (a common practice there and considered acceptable by many collectors if price is adjusted accordingly). The purple hue is not as intense and is difficult to photograph. The crystal does have some attached matrix, of graphite. The crystal has a superb, tapered termination , most unusual for tanzanites which tend to end in more blunt chisel-shaped terminations.
06edd109c - Poldervaarite - $2750 N’Chwaning Mine, near Kuruman, Cape Province, South Africa miniature, 4.7 x 4.3 x 3.7 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
A very beautiful miniature with good red color, and an exceptionally large "ball" aggregate of crystals at the base, upon which is perched a smaller , translucent and party gemmy crystal. This is an excellent example from the finds of about 5 years ago which revolutionized what we coul dexpect for the species, once much more rare. The find is now gond, and exceptional pieces like this are VERY uncommon on the market today. This one,f or the sheer size, is just "juicier" than most!
07edd26bc - Emerald on Calcite - $9200 SOLD Las Penas, near Cosquez, Boyaca Dept, Colombia miniature, 5.1 x 3.6 x 2.6 cm ex. Dr. Edward David
This is a most unusual emerald specimen, featuring dark green crystals in narrow stairstep growth , one upon and reachng out from the next, extending elegantly out from a well trimmed matrix! I have never seen the like! This is not a major gem emerald perhaps, but is really a special piece because it so draws the eye with the combination of color and sculptural aesthetics. It is as impactful as an emerald miniature could be, aside from a gem crystal of much higher price point. NOTE : there is ONE CLEAN REPAIR to this specimen, in the middle of the cluster. It is hard to notice and I am sure that Ed himself never realized it.
08edd30x - Pyrite on Quartz - $7950 SOLD Morococha, Yauli Province, Peru cabinet, 10.4 x 8.7 x 5.2 cm ex. Dr. Edward David ex. Dr. Miguel Romero
Wow...what more can you say than the pics convey? this pyrite is PRISTINE all around front and sides, contacted only on the back out of view. The quartz is pristine and complete all around. It is 3-dimensional, dramatic, and just plain unique in overall combinatorial aesthetics! I love the secondary ntricate faces on the pyrite, and how they reflect light in person to make this appear even more starkly metallic against the contrasting matrix. Gene Schlepp obtained this from the Dr. Miguel Romero Collection in trade. Gene then sold it to Ed with whom it has remained. Yes it is pricey as heck, no question. But its also damned good and stands out from other Peru pyrites like a Sweet Home rhodo in a collection of other red rocks. Previously (mis)labelled as Pasta Bueno, but this has been corrected now.
09edd155j - Chalcocite pseudo. after Covellite - $7500 SOLD Butte, Silverbow County, Montana small cabinet, 8.0 x 6.3 x 3.6 cm ex. August Pohndorf ex. Dr. Edward David ex. Gerald Herfurth
A shockingly scupltural cluster of fine crystals of LARGE covellites, that have been completely replaced by lustrous, jet black chalcocite. This is a MAJOR Butte specimen of some importance, just for the size alone. However, given the good aesthetics and nearly pristine condition, it is also a fine display quality specimen by any standard aside from the historical significance of the piece for the locale. It was in the Gerald Herfurth collection for 40 years, previously to Ed's purchase of it. Herfurth acquired it in 1958 from Pohndorf, a noted Colorado dealer and collector of the time. Verbally, it was said that this was found in 1883 and this was noted on Herfurth's card label (back side of the side shown). We know it is old, certainly, but if it really is THAT OLD, this is even more a piece of import.
10edd25t - Spodumene var. Hiddenite - $6000 SOLD Adams Mine, Hiddenite, North Carolina miniature, 3.5 x 2.2 x 2.1 cm ex. Dr. Edward David ex. John Barlow
A rare MATRIX hiddenite, from the Adam's Farm locality which is actually the type locale for the original find of this material. It was most likely from that original era, in the late 1800s, though no detaile dhistory survives. I handled this piece the first time back in 1998 when I purchased it from the Barlow Collection dispersal, and now have the privilege to handle this special little guy again.
11edd90d - Epidote with Byssolite and Dolomite - $7000 SOLD Knappenwand, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria small cabinet, 9 x 6.5 x 5.9 cm ex. Dr. Edward David ex. Rolf Wein
This is a visually impressive epidote from the classic old locality, with unusually stoudt and thick crystals. They have lustre like glass! The terminations are remarkably 3-dimensional and stand out dramatically from the matrix which acts as a natural prop to the crystals for display purposes. You can see there is one hairline crack here, a repair. It it were not repaired, this would be a 25k piece for the size and beauty, and the rarity on matrix. So, while there is this problem, the price is definitely adjusted accordingly and you get a piece that LOOKS like it is far more valuable, and certainly has more visual impact period, than you could normally get in this price range.
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