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CKTSU-48 - Mimetite - £ 2590 SOLD Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 3.7 x 3.6 x 2.7 cm ex. Charlie Key
I LOVE this mimetite! It looks like these clusters were just stuck on here, the freestanding sculptural look is so unlikely! This is clearly a competition quality miniature! A sugary, white matrix is host for a cluster of lustrous and translucent, golden mimetite crystals. The large cluster of V shaped, diverging crystals measures 2.75 cm in length and you can see its doubly-terminated (though there is some damage to the rear of the upper splayed termination, the front is immaculate as you see here). In addition, on the left side of the specimen, a few crystals have formed an accenting "Bow Tie". This piece has TOP lemon-yellow color and really just lights up in a case. Most mimetites of this style have a certain amount of brown or ruddiness to them, but not this one. it glitters and glows. CKTSU-49 - Azurite with Malachite - $450 (SOLD) keytsumeb01-047 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia Miniature, 4.0 x 3.5 x 2.7 cm Another, superb, competition quality miniature! Nestled in a vug of botryoidal, deep green malachite is a spray of extremely lustrous, neon, deep royal blue azurite of a glassy nature seldom seen at Tsumeb. The cluster’s largest crystal is over 1.5 cm across. Only around the periphery's bottom is there any contact to the azurite, and it is insignificant when compared to the aesthetics of the piece. Not major in size, but so beautiful its easy to see why Charlie kept it back all these years.
CKTSU-50 - Smithsonite on Galena - £ 971 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 4.7 x 4.2 x 4.2 cm ex. Charlie Key
Massive, dark gray, galena is the matrix for these crystals of lustrous, translucent, stony-beige crystals of smithsonite. The largest crystal is doubly terminated and measures a whopping 3.75 cm in length. The arrangement of smaller smithsonite crystals adjacent to the large one is quite pleasing to the eye. THIS IS A HUGE CRYSTAL for this particular habit, elongated and doubly-terminated, and thus overall quite significant I think. The crystal isREALLY FAT, and yet the whole thing is translucent.
CKTSU-51 - Rosasite ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite - £ 1554 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 5.6 x 4.5 x 4.3 cm ex. Charlie Key
This is a rare DOUBLE REPLACEMENT the likes of which is only found at Tsumeb. Two crystals, one rather fat and large at 5.5 cm in length, have grown parallel to each other. These crystals grew as azurite crystals which were later altered to malachite and then still changed again as the pocket chemistry changed, into this magnificent, turquoise blue rosasite. The specimen is studded with small gemmy crystals of cerussite, to .5 cm across. A small area of bruising on the back side of the main crystal in no way detracts from the frontal display of this incredible pseudomorph. The front is very 3-D and in good shape save for a small contact on the upper-left edge where there is an attached bit of cerussite (but not damage to the rosasite itself). These specimens are rare, and hard to obtain in any kind of quality. This pleasing light blue color is the most desired.
CKTSU-52 - Calcite with Hematite inclusions - £ 486 SOLD Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia cabinet, 10.2 x 6.7 x 5.6 cm ex. Charlie Key
Colorless rhombs of gemmy and glassy calcite to 3.0 cm across have received a preferential, thick dusting of reddish-brown, lustrous hematite, presenting a deep red color when all those faces angle forward. Underneath, from teh side, you can look into the crystals through thte clear colorless windows of the rhombohedral faces. The color contrast is superb and the sculptural form of the piece, very 3-dimensional, is also nice. There is only very minor wear (a few small rubs) and contacting on the massive matrix of the right side periphery, that keep this from being priced far higher for the overall size and display quality here.
CKTSU-53 - Smithsonite included by Copper (rare association) - £ 809 Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia small cabinet, 6.7 x 5.6 x 5.2 cm ex. Charlie Key
ONLY FROM TSUMEB! This is a very unusual combination of mineral species, at Tsumeb or anywhere to my knowledge. Crudely formed copper crystals with a fine patina frame many intergrown crystals of lustrous and translucent, gemmy smithsonite, to 1 cm across. Several of the sharp smithsonite rhombohedra are included by copper, something I have not seen before in this habit. Copper is actually quite rare at Tsumeb, in native form.
CKTSU-61 - Smithsonite var. Cobaltian Smithsonite - £ 1618 SOLD Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 4.2 x 3.0 x 2.2 cm ex. Charlie Key
A KILLER, competition level, perfectly balanced miniature with a huge gem crystal centered in the middle! This superb matrix, miniature, is covered with lustrous and translucent, pastel pink cobaltian smithsonite crystals. The dominant crystal is unusually gemmy and unusally symmetric, and measures 2.2 cm high (almost an INCH!) and 1.5 cm across. In person the color is a definite pink-lavender hue.
CKTSU-62 - Wulfenite on Dolomite - £ 5827 Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia small cabinet, 7.4 x 5.0 x 4.7 cm ex. Charlie Key
Tsumeb is not known for fine wulfenites, with teh exception of a VERY few specimens - of which I would class this one. The crystal is almost an inch across, about 2.2 cm. It is TRANSLUCENT and gemmy and lustrous, and it is remarkably almost freestanding , hanging out from a stalk of sparkly dolomitic matrix. The crystal is complete, and pristine save for a very minor, tiny ding, to 1 crystal edge, which does not affect the overall beauty of the specimen and in fact is hard to see anyhow. This is, to my mind, a major Tsumeb piece that is one of the few which can hold its own with wulfenite from other localities, but is all the more significant for being from this classic mine.
CKTSU-63 - Wulfenite - £ 1618 Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 3.4 x 3.3 x 2.6 cm ex. Charlie Key
A shockingly fat and well-formed, almost freestanding large crystal dominates this piece. The major crystal is 2.5 cm tall, 2 cm wide, and 6 mm thick...very robust and unusual for Tsumeb. It is nearly pristine save for the most minute of dings, and sits perfectly on a natural perch of smaller wulfenite crystals. When backlit, it has a rich ruddy-brown color to it, and you can see even in normal lighting here it is translucent. For the loclaity, a significant specimen, I would say.
CKTSU-64 - Calcite with Hematite inclusions - £ 1942 SOLD Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia small cabinet, 9 x 9 x 4.3 cm ex. Charlie Key
SHARP, incredibly deep red crystals that are thoroughly infused with microscopic hematite grains, giving them a deep ruddy red color. The piece is pristine and complete 360-degrees except a few very miniscule little nicks. This is a CLASSIC style for Tsumeb. However, large specimens in this condition are very rare.
loc03 - Wulfenite - £ 1295 SOLD Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Namibia miniature, 3.4 x 3.3 x 2.6 cm ex. Charlie Key
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