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3D15 - Argentite ps. Stephanite - $ 750 Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico thumbnail, 2.4 x 1.8 x 1.1 cm ex. Marilyn Dodge
Sharp, and very aesthetic, cluster of Argentite crystals after Stephanite. The largest crystal is about 1.8 cm, and all have an excellent luster. Better yet, the pseudos have retained the crystal edges and faces very nicely. A superb thumb, and much better in person.
ACN-01 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 450 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco thumbnail, 2.8 x 1.8 x 1.4 cm
Showing off the sharp octahedral form of the original argentite, this acanthite pseudomorph has fine form and super metallic luster. The crystal is as sharp as a spear head, which it greatly resembles. Complete all around, lustrous, and Very showy!
ACN-02 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 2400 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco miniature, 4.6 x 3.3 x 3.1 cm
A complete floater clustered around a pagoda-like 3-cm-tall central crystal, with no visible point of attachment, this specimen of acanthite after argentite is just incredible. It has LUSTRE, for starters. Most of the octahedral, splendent, dark gray crystals, to 1.25 cm in length, have grown on top of each other, making the specimen look very much like a cityscape of Chinese pagodas or of South African hausmannite which you could easily mistake this for (though it would be about the best imagineable hausmannite quality!). Aesthetic and mesmerizing full miniature specimen, from this new find.
ACN-03 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 7500 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco small cabinet, 8.3 x 5.2 x 3.4 cm
This is a larger version of the previous specimen and even more spectacular. This new find has lustre - bright sparkling lustre that is hard to convey in photos and quite another world from the appearance of previous finds here. It is a complete floater with no visible point of attachment. The acanthite after argentite crystals are octahedral in form, elegantly elongated to over 3 cm in length. They have splendent luster and a dark jet black color, with individual crystals reaching 3 cm in length. Most of the crystals have grown on top of each other and the overall appearance is that of a city of Chinese pagodas or even South African hausmannite specimens. Absolutely a world class example of acanthite, and frankly inexpensive compared to what similar-sized examples of the species in this relative quality level might cost from old Germany, classic old Mexican, and the new China finds (all in the multi-five-figure range)! In person, i will guarantee this to be as mesmerizing as my hyperbole here claims.
ACN-04 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 2500 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco small cabinet, 6.0 x 3.8 x 2.4 cm
This specimen of octahedral, splendent, jet-black acanthite after argentite, has individual elongated octohedral crystals to 3.5 cm in length shooting from a central cluster. The overall effect is that of a Chinese pagoda, with most of the crystals on top of each other. This new find has lustre - bright sparkling lustre that is hard to convey in photos and quite another world from the appearance of previous finds here. It is nearly a complete floater with no visible point of attachment, with only a small rough area near the base; which as a bonus, is a vug at the lower right edge filled with a druse of cherry red proustite. Complete all around, elegantly vertical, this is a superb acanthite by any standard from any other locality.
ACN-05 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 5000 SOLD Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco small cabinet, 7.0 x 6.9 x 3.8 cm
A hefty and massive, large specimen, this is a floater without a visible point of attachment, complete all around! This very impressive acanthite after argentite has octahedral, splendent, jet-black individual crystals to 2.3 cm in length. The crystals on the right-hand side are mostly single sharp octos while those on the left side have grown one atop another, forming a vivid resemblance to Chinese pagodas. This new find has lustre - bright sparkling lustre that is hard to convey in photos and quite another world from the appearance of previous finds here. Small druses of proustite are present at the bottom of the backside. This large, important specimen has real presence in person, and stands as a major acanthite from any locality, though I feel these new Moroccan pieces are priced less for their quality than similarly recent acanthites (of somewhat different habit) coming out of China now.
ACN-06 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 2000 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco small cabinet, 6.1 x 4.6 x 4.3 cm
This specimen of acathite after argentite features a series of stacked, octahedral, splendent, jet-black crystals, to 1.8 cm in length. the crystals literally leap out from a matrix of calcite, silver ore, and massive acanthite (few specimens ahve any matrix, here). This new find has lustre - bright sparkling lustre that is hard to convey in photos and quite another world from the appearance of previous finds here. I particularly like the angled group at the top of the specimen, which features a birdlike crystal cluster of 2.4 cm atop. This is a superb, elegant acanthite by any standard, quite different from Mexican and Chinese and German acanthites we might have seen previously.
ACN-07 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 1250 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco miniature, 5.3 x 4.2 x 2.2 cm
A stunning miniature! This acanthite replacement after argentite is highlighted by the two crystals at the apex of the specimen. The one on the right is doubly terminated and measures 1.5 cm in length. The one on the left has unusually curved edges and measures 1.8 cm in length - very strange crystal, that is mesmerizing! All the crystals are octahedral, with splendent luster and a jet-black color that is hard to convey because it is lustrous. This is a superb, elegant acanthite by any standard, quite different from Mexican and Chinese and German acanthites we might have seen previously
ACN-08 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 750 Imiter Mine, Atlas Mountains, Quarzazate Province, Morocco miniature, 3 x 2.5 x 2 cm
This specimen of acanthite after argentite features two splendent, dark gray, stretched octahedral crystals, to 2.5 cm in length. The larger crystal is doubly terminated with slightly curved crystal edges. It is complete all around, has wet lustre (much better in person!), and is SHARP. An aesthetic competition quality small miniature or toenail!
AZMEX31 - Acanthite ps. after Argentite on Calcite - $ 300 SOLD Valencia Mine, Guanajuato, Guanajuato Prov., Mexico small cabinet, 6.2 x 5.4 x 5.3 cm
Neatly perched on a matrix of white, botryoidal calcite is a cluster of dark gray, matte luster, crystals of acanthite after argentite. The largest cube measures .45 cm across. The label on the back side of this specimen indicates that it was mined in 1892. It later entered the collection of the University of Chicago, in 1964. It is a super locality piece because acanthites on such matrix are rare, but the dated label is surely a bonus and gives solid locality designation as well!
D70 - Acanthite after Argentite - $ 200 SOLD Freiberg, Saxony, Germany thumbnail, 2.2 x 2 x .8 cm ex. Marilyn Dodge
A superb pair of Acanthite crystals from one of the world’s great Silver localities. For size, luster, and sharpness, these are way above the norm, making this a truly outstanding specimen. 3-dimensional!
GLD28 - Acanthite ps. Argentite - $ 4000 SOLD Mina San Juan de Rayas, Guanajuato, Mexico miniature, 3 x 2.75 x 1.8 cm ex. Dr. Frederick Pough ex. Dr. Miguel Romero ex. Irv Brown
As the fact that the piece has been so frequently illustrated attests to, it is super-fine. The sharpness and size of these crystals, combined with phenomenal lustre, make it one of the best miniatures for the species and locality. Hands down. It was a personal gift from Dr. Miguel Romero, the noted Mexican collector, to Fred Pough. It was later sold by Pough, after Romero passed away, to California dealer Cal Graeber who resold it to collector Irv Brown in the 1990's. It is the only piece I have ever seen for sale with an actual label from Romero, in his hand (written on the back of his business card in black ink, with Spanish spellings of the species and locality).
RH02-03 - Argentite on Calcite - $ 250 SOLD Pribram, Bohemia, Czech Republic miniature, 5.1 x 5.1 x 2.0 cm ex. Richard Hauck
Sharp, lustrous argentite crystals to 9mm nestled in a small pocket of quartz crystals on a massive quartz matrix. The largest argentite crystal appears to have been hollowed out or "hoppered" during formation yet is still well terminated. Unique, old European classics like this are very difficult to obtain.
RH02-11 - Argentite - $ 950 SOLD Schemnitz, Slovak Republic miniature, 4.3 x 4.3 x 2.2 cm ex. Richard Hauck
Incredible rich specimen of argentite crystals on matrix to 4mm. The argentite crystals are attractively draped with a nice gold layer of pyrite. These crystals have interesting , sharp form and are nicely spread across the matrix. The pyrite is preferentially coating the argentite, providing an interesting look to the piece; one side gold, one side metallic-grey. This is another super-rare European classic which is almost never seen on the US market today. Old Schortmann’s Minerals label comes with piece. That was a lot of money 60 years ago!
RH1-57 - Acanthite after Argentite - $ 200 SOLD Guanajuato, Mexico small cabinet, 9.2 x 5.2 x 4.1 cm ex. Richard Hauck
Battleship gray, lustrous, modified, crystals of acanthite after argentite, to.3 cm across, abound along with a quartz druse on matrix. Guanajuato is a noted locality for this pseudomorph.
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