From the mid-2000's heyday of mining here, this is an exceptionally elegant combination specimen featuring a 13-cm-long sword of tourmaline intergrown with and shooting out of a sharp quartz crystal. The tourmaline is like a gem pencil, totally clean and transparent with a wonderful blue color. The quartz is complete all around, except for a small conchoidal chip on one edge, and in fact you can display this piece from either side to equal effect - one side showcasing more of the quartz and the other showing more length to the gem tourmaline. A little bit of sparkly purple lepidolite adds accent to one side, as well. Most specimens of this style were rather jumbly, but this has a balance and aesthetic style that make it stand out. Furthermore, most such specimens had multiple repairs while this has only one single, quite acceptable, lock-fit repair to the tourmaline near the bottom. Pieces like this went in the first picks of the time, and this one was long in a collection and off the market within Europe (since 2007). Comes with custom lucite base. Joe Budd photo.