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Skeletal Galena from Bulgaria!
These incredibly elegant hollowed-out Galena crystals were the surprise hits of both the Denver and Munich shows. There were not many, and there was a feeding frenzy at each show in my wake to get the rest of these. They formed from a natural process of etching and are thus termed "skeletal" crystals (rather than crystals formed by "hopper" growth which they may look like at first blush). Solutions running through the pocket attacked the weakest bonds of the crystal and tore away molecules one by one, starting with those in the middle of a face where the atomic bonds are very slightly weaker than elsewhere. You can imagine that, extrapolating the process, one is left with only corners and mutually reinforcing angles after awhile, resulting in this skeletal boxwork of a crystal. Most of them have broken, and obtaining complete crystals on matrix is a real challenge here. I had sold out after Denver and was able to arrange for the delivery of this lot at Munich which had not been prepped in time to make the Denver show, though it has been long-delayed getting here from there courtesy of UPS' not so rapid services in transit... These fascinating, hollowed-out crystals are among the most bizarre, sculptural specimens I have yet seen in minerals!
From a European collector who added this information, which i had heard on rumour anyhow but wasn't sure to be true independently: just an addition to the info.I'm not sure if you are awre that 9th of Sptember is a defunct locality!Only one chamber(an upper one) is still approachable-South portion of Mogila.I know only three hardcore miners who still get inside and provide limited number of specimens of which one out of ten are worthy.I plan to get inside myself soon!
The specimens of Galena you have are NOT from there,they come from the defuct chambers.If my info is right,they came out from the collection of some old miner who couldn't sell them for years until cleaned and show their uniqueness!These specimens are the last to exist and I doubt Krushev Dol (a still working mine...) will ever produce this kind of Galena.Ensure your clients that leaving them pass,waiting for a future find,would probably be a cruel mistake!
Also,specimens from 9th of September,even from South Mogila,are doubly valued as than specimens from Krushev Dol or rest active localities,because miners here know better than anyone that there are not many of them around and there will be no more of them,ecxept if water is removed from the mine and cleaned(and we're talking about Bulgaria...not likely...)
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GALS-01 - Galena (skeletal) - $1750 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 5.4 x 3.6 x 3.2 cm
Dramatic upon a quartz matrix, these hollowed cubes of lustrous galena crystals, to 1.6 cm across, exhibit incredible etched, skeletal growth, where only the crystal edges remain. There is one crystal on the lower left edge that had its etching interrupted, because most of the crystal is still intact. Although etching can and does appear in many mineral species, this occurrence in a primary lead mineral is just flat-out amazing.
GALS-02 - Galena (skeletal) with Sphalerite - $400 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 4.4 x 3.9 x 2.2 cm
One superb crystal of skeletal, battleship gray, galena, measuring 1.3 cm in length, is aesthetically perched on other galena crystals exhibiting various stages of etching. For added effect, scattered on the galena are several crystals of resinous, translucent yellow crystals of sphalerite to .6 cm across. The etching, and color contrast is super!
GALS-03 - Galena (skeletal)on Chalcopyrite - $350 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 5.5 x 3.0 x 2.8 cm
A massive chalcopyrite matrix sporting brassy yellow crystals to 1.5 cm in length is the host for a small cluster of etched, skeletal, battleship-gray, crystals of galena. The rear-right side of the matrix was sawed to remove it fro mthe pocket, though this faces the back. These crystals, which reach 1.5 cm in length, are so eaten away, that only the crystal edges remain and are slightly twisted as if caught in a storm. Superb example of this rare habit!
GALS-04 - Galena (skeletal) on Chlorite-included Quartz - $950 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 5.3 x 4.4 x 2.4 cm
This well-balanced matrix galena specimen is covered by a bed of green, chloritic to colorless, gemmy, lustrous quartz crystals, to .75 cm across. Perched aesthetically on the quartz are three lustrous, skeletal, battleship-gray galena crystals, to 2.5 cm across. They are more elegant than boxy, if that makes sense to say, though they are technically boxwork in form. It appears that the largest crystal was octahedral in form rather than the more ubiquitous cubes. Truly dramatic and unusual! More 3-dimensional in person, too!
GALS-05 - Galena (skeletal) - $750
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 4.1 x 3.2 x 2.8 cm
Almost a complete floater, this crazy-looking , surreal cluster of lustrous, skeletal, battleship-gray galena has crystals to 2.75 cm in length exhibiting several stages of etching. Perched aesthetically at the top is a superb and elongated hollow crystal, where only the crystal edges remain. It looks more like sculpture than crystal!
GALS-06 - Galena (skeletal) - $2000 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
miniature, 4.8 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm
Massive galena with some associated quartz forms the matrix for skeletal, lustrous, battleship-gray, galena crystals to a whopping 2.5 cm in length. You can imagine how few of this size might survive?! This is more lustrous than others here, for some reason, and is MUCH ORE 3-dimensional in person. The crystals exhibit various stages of etching with the largest crystal displaying only crystal edges. Dramatic!
GALS-07 - Galena (skeletal) on Quartz - $750 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
small cabinet, 7.4 x 5.0 x 3.7 cm
Gemmy quartz crystals, some doubly terminated and chloritic, are the matrix for skeletal, lustrous, battleship-gray galena crystals to 1.6 cm in length. A few, small brassy yellow, chalcopyrite crystals abut the galena crystals, on the back side of the specimen. I particularly like the way the galena crystals are perched high on the matrix, very dramatically.
GALS-08 - Galena (skeletal) on Quartz - $3000 SOLD
9th of September Mine, Madan, Rhodope Mtns., Bulgaria
small cabinet, 8.4 x 6.0 x 4.3 cm
Note this is one of the largest specimens recovered in good condition, with any aesthetics to it; and is also particularly balanced and well-trimmed. The etched, skeletal, battleship-gray galena crystals are beautifully perched on a matrix of colorless quartz, with nearly all of them exhibiting amazing etching to their hollow cores, where only the crystal edges remain. Magnificent and aesthetic for the rich contrast to quartz!
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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