TUC17A-59
Turquoise (rare - richly crystallized)
Bishop Mine, Lynch Station, Campbell Co., Virginia, USA
Small Cabinet, 5.9 x 4.3 x 3.8 cm
Ex. Michael Harkness; Ted Johnson
SOLD
Everybody thinks that turquoise is a common mineral - and as nuggets or veins, it is. As crystals, it is very rare on earth, for some reason. I personally have always had a weak spot for USA turquoise, which occurs as sparkly little microcrystals and is, in quality, considered about the best of species as far as crystals go (you can see in the photo, eye-visible sized xls!). I buy nearly every one I see, and have done so for decades. These are old, and only come out of older USA-based collections. In all that time, I think this has to be by far the prettiest example I have ever had the privilege to own (or even to see for sale). While the crystals individually are sub-mm, this piece overall has an incredibly rich and pristine coverage area that is loaded with them, making it an important specimen. Many collectors consider that Lynch Station has produced probably the worlds best crystallized turquoise (micros, but still crystals!). The color, and the novelty of it in any USA or copper mineral collection, makes this appeal to a large number of collectors beyond our borders though, I would think. ex. Ted Johnson (MA) and Mike Harkness (TX) collections