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from the Charles Locke Key Collection
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ex. Charlie Key
This is the best large piece we have seen in about a flat's worth of this material, which Charlie had stashed. It is one of those strange Erongo combos! This piece features sharp matte-green fluorite crystals perched smartly upon zoned goshenites to about an inch!
ex. Charlie Key
3-dimensional, more so in person! SHARP dioptase crystals in an unusual association with rich velvet malachite, makes this a very desirable Kaokoveld piece with different aesthetics than you normally see from here. It is very 3-dimensional and the dioptase leaps off in person, more so than the pics indicate. some shards of quartz provide a bit of color contrast.
ex. Charlie Key
A very unusual, attractive crystal from ANY locality and by far one of the finest in quality we have seen from this remote locale out of a dozen in the collection. I'll b ehonest and admit that, because of the weird secondary growths here, combined with deep amber hue, I thought this was a beryl at first
ex. Charlie Key
GEM: 6 x 4 x 4 mm and 1.35 carats A matrix specimen featuring an extremely fine small crystal of this classic deep blue, unheated, natural indicolite that once set the standard for blue hue in gem tourmalines. I am told these came out befor eBrazilian indicolite was common, and still set the standard for a"pure" blue. Faceted stones go for $300-500 per carat and this rough and cut set is of top quality (the crystal could be easily cut, itself). Includes a matching cut stone from the same rare old material.
ex. Charlie Key
One of a very few specimens we have from a special pocket Charlie said was found about 3 years ago, this piece glows with more intense color in person. It features radial rosettes of shattuckite, itself a rare mineral. These are perched on top of extremely lustrous crystals of primary malachite to about 1 inch (i.e. malachite formed first as a large crystal rather than as a replacement of previous azurite as you normally see from Tsumeb or Bisbee...and quite rare in such size and quality). These alone would comand a pretty good price in such a miniature, with malachite of this quality. However, to cap it off, the malachite sets atop a rolling matrix of INTENSE BLUE quartz crystals, colored by shattuckite inclusions. Then, those quartzes site atop a thick layer of shattuckite on matrix...its just an incredible combination. In person, its more 3-dimensional as well.
ex. Charlie Key
A pristine, sharp, 2 x 1.5 x 1 cm ilmenite perched on quartz! Very nice example for the locality!
ex. Charlie Key
A very sharp, fine, beautiful (all things considered) 4.5 x 4 x 2 cm ilmenite crystal nestled in smoky quartz matrix! This is a very attractive piece at a good price, from the recent find of last year. The major crystal is undamaged, atop, though it has some rough spots on the bottom and back side. Its better in person and nicely 3-dimensional.
ex. Charlie Key
This is another unique specimen from the collection, and totally different in scale and appearance from other primary malachite I have seen from here. This piece features a 3-dimensional spray, hemispherical in shape, of acicular malachite crystals shooting out radially from a common center. The whole cluster glows with color...it is MUCH brighter and electric green, in person - so the contrast with the rolling blue chrysocolla is striking! I have seen much smaller examples of this habit from Kaokoveld. Nothing of this scale, however. where the cluster is not intergrown with the chrysocolla, it IS pristine. In person it is much more 3-dimensional...both the crystal aggregate and the specimen as a whole.
ex. Charlie Key
A most colorful specimen due to the unusual richness of the associated chrysocolla, which makes for striking contrast to the brilliantly green dioptase. Like the above specimen, this is of VERY unusual quality for the location in both condition and overall aesthetics. The closeups show clearly that the quality of the dioptase is good in its own right, aside from the added value of the contrasting association. Lastly, most specimens with any decent chrysocolla I have seen from here have "matrixy" look to them...here the chrysocolla itself IS specimen-worthy in that the botryoidal grapelike growths are more than just "background".
ex. Charlie Key
One of the finest Kaokoveld dioptase specimens I have seen, with a quality of lustre and color equivalent to Tsumeb dioptase, and an aesthetic arrangement uncommon from this location in larger diops (which tend to be boring flattish plates more than 3-D agregates as this one. The contrasting blue chrysocolla accent is a wonderful finishing touch. This piece just radiates color and shows like its worth 10k...well, the simple fact of the matter is that the Kaok material simply goes for about 1/3 what a same-sized Tsumeb specimen of similar quality would go for. There is simply more premium put on the Tsumeb material, much of which came out in the 1970s, compared to teh Kaok material which has come out since the mid 1980s. I do not think this pricing difference to be entirely warranted, but it exists and I feel that I must price this one accordingly even though I do truly feel its a 10k piece if only from a locality only a few hundred klicks away. For that matter, it really IS a superb piece for this locality, of which there are few equals - and hence of a higher stature relative to Kaok dioptase specimens found than to Tsumeb pieces of which there are admittedly better and bigger (and much pricier) specimens out there. The chrysocolla association is unique to this localiy and is not found at Tsumeb.
ex. Charlie Key
The pic pretty much says it all...this is one of the most extremely sculptural combos I have seen, and althoug a slender spray, is dramatic beyond its size. Repaired (the fluorite attachment), or it would be "priceless" at a higher price...
ex. Charlie Key
A stunning combination piece with a 2 inch aqua perched diagonally and in contrast to one of the most lustrous schorls you will ever see! I think the pics say it all!
ex. Charlie Key
Several slender, exceptionally gemmy aquamarine crystals perched jauntily on a crystal of etched feldspar, and with a sharp schorl at its base. VERY elegant miniature of competition quality and a good deal for the price, i would think
ex. Charlie Key
A very "juicy" cluster with about the richest blue color you can ask for in an Erongo aqua, moreintense blue even than pakistani aquamarine material. It has an inner brightness to it that intensifies the color, and extremely good lustre. VERY 3-dimensional in person....the pics do not quite convey how dramtic it is.
ex. Charlie Key
This elegant cluster has a lot of pizzazz, with sharp, lustrous, very gemmy (for Erongo material) aquas shooting every which way! VERY 3-dimensional in person.
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