Mineral Specimens with Argyrodite

  -  9 specimens selected


BEM-17 - Argyrodite - SOLD
Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany

miniature, 4.9 x 3.2 x 2.3 cm
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/pics/bem-17a.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/pics/bem-17b.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/pics/bem-17c.jpg]

Argyrodite is one of the rarest collectible silver species to obtain in a good display specimen. I buy every one I come across, which is about 10 pieces in the last 20 years...not too common! Argyrodite is an extremely rare GERMANIUM-containing silver sulfide and occurs at its best from this type locality (late 1800s) and from Bolivia as well (same era, into the early 1900s). Year of Discovery: 1886 at this , the type locality. This particular specimen is actually "beautiful" as far as they go, because it has some 3-dimensionality and can be displayed to show dramatically the clusters of 3-4mm Argyrodite crystals atop. They rest on a matrix of pyrite and silver ore. VERY fine display miniature! From the miniature rarities suite of Lawrence Conklin


den07-21 - Argyrodite - SOLD
Colquechaca, Chayanta Province, Potosi Dept., Bolivia

miniature, 4.7 x 4.6 x 1.7 cm
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ex.  Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
ex.  William Vaux

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Argyrodite from Colquechaca, Chayanta Province, Potosi Dept., Bolivia [db_pics/pics/den07-21a.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca, Chayanta Province, Potosi Dept., Bolivia [db_pics/pics/den07-21b.jpg]

Argyrodite is one of the most rare silver species, a sulfide with GERMANIUM as a main constituent! It usually occurs as small crystals in rounded ugly masses. Here we have SHARP, euhedral, lustrous crystals to, oh, about an INCH in size! This is this incredible specimen of a very rare species, from silver mining that predated the more famous (among modern collectors, anyhow) deposits of Chanarcillo in Chile. Specimens from this old district, valid ones anyways, are VERY rare. I have seen but a few in 20-plus years. This specimen not only has valid pedigree, but it is a WONDERFUL piece of high quality for the species. I couldn't believe what I was holding when I saw this with the Academy dispersal, and I do not think this is replaceable at any price, ever, again. To me, something like this is far , far more of an investment than the best tourmaline or aqua, or fluorite you could buy for the same price: not a sexy perhaps, but significant enough to be better than all but a few pieces in major museums (if even those are equal).


MD-154922 - Argyrodite - - Archived
Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany

miniature, 4.9 x 3.2 x 2.3 cm.
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/mdpics/MD-154922a.jpg]

4.9 x 3.2 x 2.3 cm. Argyrodite is one of the rarest collectible silver species to obtain in a good display specimen. Argyrodite is an extremely rare GERMANIUM-containing silver sulfide and occurs at its best from this type locality (late 1800s) and from Bolivia as well (same era, into the early 1900s). Year of Discovery: 1886 at this, the type locality. This particular specimen is actually "beautiful" as far as they go, because it has some 3-dimensionality and can be displayed to show dramatically the clusters of 3-4mm Argyrodite crystals atop. They rest on a matrix of pyrite and silver ore. VERY fine display miniature! From the miniature rarities suite of Lawrence Conklin.


MD-170093 - Argyrodite - - Archived
Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia

miniature, 4.7 x 4.6 x 1.7 cm.
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-170093a.jpg]

4.7 x 4.6 x 1.7 cm. Argyrodite is one of the rarer silver species, a sulfide with GERMANIUM as a main constituent! It usually occurs as small crystals in rounded ugly masses. Here we have SHARP, euhedral, lustrous crystals to about an INCH in size! This is an incredible specimen of a very rare species, from silver mining that predated the more famous (among modern collectors, anyhow) deposits of Chanarcillo in Chile. Ex. British Museum of Natural History and Dr. Mark Feinglos Collections.


MD-243406 - Argyrodite - - Archived
Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany

thumbnail, 1.0 x 0.9 x 0.3 cm.
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/mdpics/MD-243406a.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Himmelsfürst Mine, Brand-Erbisdorf, Freiberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany [db_pics/mdpics/MD-243406b.jpg]

1.0 x 0.9 x 0.3 cm. Argyrodite is one of the rarest collectible silver species to obtain in a good display specimen. Argyrodite is an extremely rare GERMANIUM-containing silver sulfosalt and occurs at its best from this Type Locality (late 1800s) and from Bolivia as well (same era, into the early 1900s). This particular specimen is actually "beautiful" as far as they go, because it has some 3-dimensionality, with the intergrown, botryoidal aggregates. Ex. Edward Braiman Collection to Bill Pinch Collection. Bill X-RAYED it to confirm identity.


MD-64360 - Argyrodite - - Archived
Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia

miniature, 4.6 x 4.4 x 2.7 cm.
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-64360a.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca (Aullagas), Chayanta Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-64360b.jpg]

4.6 x 4.4 x 2.7 cm. An incredibly rich specimen of almost solid argyrodite, one of the rarest of silver species because of its association with germanium (Ag8GeS6). This rare silver, germanium, sulfide manifests here as "relatively beautiful" rosettes of black crystals atop massive, lustrous ore. The largest rosette is 1.5 cm across, although it is of course composed of smaller crystals within. Ex. Dr. Mark Feinglos and A. L. McGuiness Collections.


MD-76630 - Argyrodite - - Archived
Oruro Department, Bolivia

thumbnail, 2.7 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm
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Argyrodite from Oruro Department, Bolivia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-76630a.jpg]

This is a major specimen of huge import! It is a rare example of a large euhedral crystal of this species, and the style of crystallization was found apparently just once and long ago (pre-1940). It was part of a piece in the BMNH that Mark much admired and one day he asked the curator if they might have a small sample for him of this material. To his surprise, this piece at some point was trimmed right off the major single piece at the BMNH, It is a single complete crystal, except for the base where it was sawed off cleanly from the remainder of the specimen. 2.7 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm

(More likely from Colquechaca in Potosi Department than from Oruro.)


MF29 - Argyrodite (INCREDIBLY HUGE CRYSTAL!) - SOLD
Oruro, Bolivia

thumbnail, 2.7 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm
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ex.  British Museum of Natural History
ex.  Dr. Mark Feinglos

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Argyrodite (INCREDIBLY HUGE CRYSTAL!) from Oruro, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/mf29a.jpg]
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Argyrodite (INCREDIBLY HUGE CRYSTAL!) from Oruro, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/mf29b.jpg]
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Argyrodite (INCREDIBLY HUGE CRYSTAL!) from Oruro, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/mf29c.jpg]
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Argyrodite (INCREDIBLY HUGE CRYSTAL!) from Oruro, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/mf29d.jpg]

This is a major specimen of huge import! It is a rare example of a large euhedral crystal of this species, and the style of crystallization was found apparently just once and long ago (pre-1940). It was part of a piece in the BMNH that Mark much admired and one day he asked the curator if they might have a small sample for him of this material. To his surprise, this piece at some point was trimmed right off the major single piece at the BMNH,


RARE08-2-80 - Argyrodite - SOLD
Colquechaca, Bolivia

miniature, 4.6 x 4.4 x 2.7 cm
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ex.  Dr. Mark Feinglos

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Argyrodite from Colquechaca, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/rare08-2-80a.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/rare08-2-80b.jpg]
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Argyrodite from Colquechaca, Bolivia [db_pics/pics/rare08-2-80c.jpg]

An incredibly rich specimen of almost SOLID argyrodite, one of the rarest of silver species because of its association with germanium (Ag8GeS6). Not often seen in dealers stocks, this rare silver, germanium, sulfide manifests here as "relatively beautiful" rosettes of black crystals atop massive, lustrous ore. The largest rosette is 1.5 cm across, although it is of course composed of smaller crystals within. This is an incredibly rich sample of the species, from one of its most important locales! Most importantly, it is validated up and down by the previous owner. These specimens are historic, with surviving pieces having been found on just a few occasions over hundreds of years of mining here. It was only identified in the late 1880s once germanium itself was better understood and analysible. This particular piece is the richest I have seen for sale or owned, and was exchanged to me about 6 years ago by Dr Mark Feinglos , who had long owned it in his Collection. He got it from. A. L. McGuiness . I sold it to another collector and recently got it back, to re-offer. It comes with XRD analysis and labels.



  -  9 specimens selected



Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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