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RHQTZ-01 - Amethyst - $2400 Schemnitz, Slovakia small cabinet, 7.8 x 5.6 x 5.5 cm ex. Clarence S. Bement ex. Richard Hauck ex. Smithsonian Institution
This specimen is a very important old classic for amethyst, and a scarcely seen item in even the most prominent old collections. It concists of a plate of white quartz on rock matrix, upon which are the most intensely purple gem crystals of amethyst you can imagine, to 2 cm. They sparkle like glass, and these are so treasured in Europe, that I have seen specimens of half this quality for more money, in euros no less, at Munich. This is, however, a really good example in that it is aesthetic, and not just representative. It is not prisitne, but is nearly so with only one break of consequence to a crystal and a few minor dings otherwise (and probably is 120-plus years old, so you should give a little leniency!). Consider that at one time these were the BEST purple amethyst crystals for the collector in the world, for overall quality, and a treasured few specimens commanded their weight in gold at the time. Before the discovery of the Mexican and Bolivian crystals, after all, where would you get such beautiful and intense amethyst of this quality? The last one I saw of this size and calibre, a similar specimen from the Ed David collection, was one for which he himself had paid more than the asking price here although they are not too dissimilar. Note an inked black arrow on the back of this specimen was made by the early-1900s AMNH curator Gratacap in curating the display specimens from the Bement collection after it was donated to the AMNH by financier JP Morgan, who purchased the collection after Bement's death. The arrow denotes the rear direction on the shelf on which the specimen was to be placed, thus showing its proper orientation on the display shelves of the museum. As the MinRecord archive states, Clarence Sweet Bement was one of the greatest mineral collectors of all time, from around 1866 to 1900 known for his high level of taste in specimens - even in the oddities, rarities, and classics. The man had, be they rare or pretty or ugly or common, the best of the era. Heck, if this were Mexican with such deep color, it would already be 2k anyhow...Click on this link to see a copy of the original early 1900s accession book from the American Museum archives: CLICK HERE
RHQTZ-02 - Smoky Quartz (gwindel) - $6000 SOLD Goscheneralp, Göschenen Valley, Canton Uri, Switzerland small cabinet, 7.8 x 5.6 x 5.5 cm ex. Richard Hauck
RHQTZ-03 - Amethyst scepter - $450 SOLD Eonyang (Onyong), Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea miniature, 5 x 5 x 3 cm ex. Dr. William Sanborn ex. Richard Hauck
Bill Sanborn's collection was noted for an extensive suite of Asian minerals, and this is as superb a specimen for the classic old Korean amethysts as any I have seen. It is a very aesthetic, balanced, choice miniature, complete all around. There is a minor ding in each termination, but it still displays very nicely, I think, and the balance of the piece distracts the eye from the two admitted dings atop (though reduce the price, they must!). Interestingly, the crystals are slightly included by geothite, according to the label. Visually, the stunning translucent gem purple sceptres contrast markedly with the stalks...again, a true classic example for this locality, just like wha tyou would see in old books.
RHQTZ-04 - Quartz on Quartz - $400 SOLD Black Rapids, Lyndhurst, Ontario, Canada miniature, 5 x 5 x 3 cm ex. Richard Hauck
RHQTZ-05 - Calcite on Quartz - $600 SOLD Black Rapids, Lyndhurst, Ontario, Canada miniature, 5 x 5 x 3 cm ex. Richard Hauck
RHQTZ-06 - Rutilated Quartz (floater) - $1450 SOLD Ibitiara, Minas Gerais, Brazil small cabinet, 8.0 x 4.0 x 2.1 cm ex. Richard Hauck
An exceptional specimen that has to be more rutile than quartz, given the incredible quantity of rutiles inside. I don't think i have ever seen such an infested quartz specimen (infested? invested?) from this locality. Especially when backlit, it glows with color. The crystal is a complete floater all around and pristine save only for a small divot out of one bottom edge on the backside. The shape of the crystal is unusual in that it appears somewhat pseudocubic in form, not as prismatic as normally you would expect (and especially from this locle where all tend to have the same habit). I am not normally big on these, but this one is VERY special and dramatic! From the Dr. Eugene Sensel collection.
RHQTZ-07 - Quartz "cross" of Japan Law twins - $400 SOLD San Pedro Mine, Golden , New Mexico small cabinet, 7.3 x 6.7 x 5.2 cm ex. Richard Hauck
RHQTZ-08 - Quartz (Japan law twin) - $1450 SOLD Miyamoto village, Kohu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan small cabinet, 7.5 x 6.1 x 2.7 cm ex. Frederick A. Canfield ex. Richard Hauck
These original Japanese quartzes from which Japan law twinning was described initially are old classics of the late 1800s and early 1900s, rarely seen for sale in sizable specimens of quality today! It is, sadly, damaged on both on the lower-left side on and just past the prismatic associate crystals's termination; as well as with a slight cleave on the back of the other termination (not seen from front). Still, overall , this is a superbly aesthetic, dramatic piece for Japan, with elegant display. Given this, and the historic importance of the piece, I can live with a little damage so long as the eye doesn't go right to it (which it does not). The old Frederick Canfield label dates this to 1914, though it probably came to him already in an old collection as these came out even in the late 1800s, one would think. Courtesy of Alfredo Petrov: "mura" means village, "Kai" is now Yamanashi, so it's Miyamoto village in Yamanashi Prefecture.Interestingly, I have never seen a genuine Canfield label on a specimen for sale. Looking up the collection on the Mineralogical Record's Archives site, I found this note: Canfield bequeathed his entire (personal) mineral collection, plus a $50,000 endowment for its support and enlargement, to the Smithsonian Institution.. A comment from Smithsonian Collection Manager Dr. Paul Pohwat on the piece: An examination of the label shows that the specimen left Canfields possession and never saw NMNH. The lettered "Presented by…July 1914" is not in Canfield's hand, I would guess that the giftee wrote that. As for the piece coming from an old collection to Canfield I feel sure that he purchased it from one of the many fine mineral purveyors extant at the time, purchasing entire collections was not Canfield’s way. Also keep in mind that NMNH did not receive the entire Canfield collection only the cataloged portion, Harvard purchased the uncataloged portion, and these have Canfield labels as well. However, as this label has a definite catalog number I am leaning towards the ‘presented to another collector’ theory.
RHQTZ-09 - Rutilated Quartz (floater) - $2000 SOLD Ibitiara, Minas Gerais, Brazil small cabinet, 6.6 x 5.5 x 5.1 cm ex. Richard Hauck
An exceptional and rare CLUSTER of rutilated quartzes - so often found in singles or in damaged and unwieldy clunky clusters. This one, though, is among the brightest, showiest examples I have seen AND is a good size for the collector (as Sensel agreed with , writing "exceptional" on his label when he appraised the collection in 1990). This piece is nearly pristine, with just a few small "kisses" or dings on some crystal tips....but they go unnoticed amoidst the crazy geometry of the rutile inclusions and the lustre, unless you look very closely. Especially when backlit, the piece glows with color. I am not normally big on these, but this one is VERY special and dramatic! I have seldom seen a cluster of this material I love, perhaps just a few pieces in the last twnty years? From the Dr. Eugene Sensel collection.
RHQTZ-10 - Quartz (faden) - $2500 SOLD Miyamoto village, Kohu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan cabinet, 11.5 x 5.2 x 3.0 cm ex. Allan Crunden ex. Richard Hauck
A strange Japanese quartz, showing a clear and dramatic faden line down the middle more characteristic of alpine quartzes than anything I have seen from japan before. in fact, I have never seen a Japanese faden of any quality before. This one was probably found before they had described the phenomenon, and erroneously labelled as a "distorted twin". It is miraculously one of the best-preserved old Japanese quartzes from this locality that I have seen, and has no damage save only a small nick at the bottom. Otherwise, it is pristine and complete all around! The Allan Crunden Collection was one of the major collections on the East Coast of the mid-1900s.
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