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bab01 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 900 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China miniature, 4.8 x 4.2 x 2.8 cm
A very choice minaiture. Botryoidal, green prehnite contrasts nicely with tabular, doubly terminated crystals of lustrous, black babingtonite, to 2.4 cm across. The babingtonite crystals occur in a cluster at the apex of a knoll of prehnite. This is a fantastic miniature which any advanced collector would have happily paid thousands of dollars to own were it from the old US locales where a very similar association has formed. Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. Who knows how long this run will last?
bab02 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 1500 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 8.4 x 6.1 x 3.6 cm
These extremely stark and dramatic crystals, the best one freestanding and upright, sit on a beautiful floater matrix piece with gemmy, colorless, quartz crystals measuring .8 cm across, upon botryoidal, green prehnite. The sharp, tabular, lustrous, black babingtonite crystals, to 2.0 cm in length, cover one side and overhang the edge so the piece can be displayed from any number of angles. The color contrast between the prehnite and the babingtonite is outstanding on this well-balanced specimen. The matrix seems to be a floater shard of crystallized prehnite, and is entirely translucent when backlit. This is a fantastic small cab sized specimen which any advanced collector would have happily paid thousands of dollars to own were it from the old US locales where a very similar association has formed - and it would be highly coveted for aesthetics , based on any previous standard. Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab03 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 300 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 6.7 x 5.0 x 2.5 cm
A sparkling and unusual druse of millimeter-size tabular, lustrous, black, babingtonite completely covers the matrix of botryoidal, green prehnite. One solitary, freestanding babingtonite leaps out of them. For accent there is a large, colorless, doubly terminated quartz crystal measuring 2.5 cm in length and the largest baingtonite crystal is also doubly terminated and it measures 1.0 cm across. The matirx seems to be a floater shard of crystallized prehnite, and is entirely translucent when backlit. This is a cute, sparkling miniature. Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab04 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 450 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 8.9 x 7.5 x 4.3 cm
This interesting combination piece has calcite in association. A rock matrix has been covered by a layer of botryoidal, green prehnite upon which is emplaced tabular, lustrous, black babingtonite, in crystals reaching 2.8 cm in length. The matrix is unusual and chlorite-rich, so it is green. The sp[arklign micro-babingtonites add an unusual effect to the piece. The major crystal standing straight up is 2.5 cm tall from one side (showing 2 cm from the calcite-facing side). As an added touch, on the left side of the specimen are white crystals of calcite, to 1.0 cm in length.Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab05 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 1200 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China cabinet, 12.0 x 6.9 x 5.9 cm
Very nearly resembling stalactite growth, an extended matrix of chlorite is totally covered with intergrown crystals of tabular, lustrous, babingtonite, to 3.0 cm in length. The piece shows well both vertically AND horizontally. The lustre and stark black color are excellent quality and there is no damage to the display face (only some contact at the lower-rear of the piece as i would display it). THIS IS A VERY RICHLY CRYSTALLIZED SPECIMEN for the price which any advanced collector would have happily paid many more thousands of dollars to own were it from the old US locales where a very similar association has formed - and it would be amazingly rich from those old locales, based on any previous standard. Probably a $5000-7500 piece is from the US ? Some associated crystals of colorless quartz to, .6 cm in length are in turn covered by minute babingtonite crystals. Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab06 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 2850 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 7.7 x 6.3 x 4.0 cm
A nearly solid mass of intergrown, tabular, black babingtonite, measuring up to 3.8 cm across is color contrasted against minor, botryoidal, green prehnite and colorless quartz crystals to 1.3 cm in length. The terminations are EXTREMELY well developed on this specimen and aesthetic in how they face the viewer). The crystals have a slight TWIST to them which is more obvious in person and which I find mesmerizing. The lustre is naturally and remarkably high - and these were not cleaned with any fancy acids or chemicals to make them so. Of the specimens described thus far, this has the largest babingtonite crystals with perhaps the best aesthetics in combination. These extremely stark and dramatic crystals, the best one of which is so obviously freestanding and upright, sit on a beautiful floater matrix piece. The color contrast between the prehnite and the babingtonite is outstanding on this well-balanced specimen that stands so nicely on its own. This is a fantastic small cab sized specimen which would be worth probably $9-10k or so if it were it from the old US locales where a very similar association has formed - although I have never seen one quite of this magnitude from either the Lane Quarry, MA or CT locales they once came from. Lustre on these crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab07 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 1800 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China cabinet, 11.9 x 9.2 x 6.0 cm
This specimen clearly extended into a vug because the matrix of thick translucent prehnite is crystallized all the way around except for a small basal contact on the left side (if displayed horizontally) or the bottom (if displayed vertically). The display side has excellent quality, translucent, botryoidal green prehnite upon which are emplaced tabular, lustrous, black crystals of babingtonite, to 2 cm in length. About a dozen of them! All the crystals are termianted, complete all around, and really 3-dimensional in person. The back side is covered in a druse of sparkling, colorless quartz crystals with no babingtonite - as if all the crystals ran away to go to the top face. Lustre on these crystals is medium level for the locale, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a large and showy specimen at, I think, a fair price for the size and quality.
bab08 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 300 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China cabinet, 10.8 x 7.3 x 3.8 cm
A combination of beautiful green prehnite and colorless quartz, to 1.2 cm in length, accent nicely with babingtonite crystals to 2.5 cm across. The crystals run in a "stream" down the plate, and the prehnite on this specimen is particularly high in quality (of both crystallization an dtranslucency). Lustre on these crystals is medium level for the locale, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a large and showy specimen at, I think, a fair price for the size and quality.
BAB09 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 600 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 7.8 x 6.9 x 3.2 cm
Sparkling, colorless quartz, in crystals to 1.0 cm in length along with botryoidal, green prehnite, form the backdrop for an overhanging tabular, doubly terminated, lustrous crystal of babingtonite that measures 2.2 cm across. VERY dramatic from a number of angles, it isbetter in person and a piece I would call "elegant." On the back side are some of the finest crystallized prehnites I have yet seen from this locality, that are on their own merit very beautiful and appealing rosettes of crystals. Lustre on the babingtonite crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a fine small cabinet specimen that if it were from the old Lane Quarry would have set you back easily triple the price.
bab10 - Babingtonite on Calcite - $ 1500 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 9.4 x 7.2 x 4.5 cm
Lustrous and translucent, colorless crystals of calcite to 3 cm across form an agglomerated and very bizarre matrix for a single rather large crystal of jet-black babingtonite, 3.7 cm in length! This crystal is starkly frozen there in place, in its translucent "ice" of calcite so that you really have to look closely to believe this is real. It is tabular, doubly terminated, lustrous and just plain SHARP in a crystallographic sense - blocky in its geometry, perhaps, more than elegant as with some others here. Yet it is elegantly perched in the matrix.For that matter it displays well from either side: a SECOND crystal under the first one, 4 cm across, is a bonus. but ipersonally like the display face better from the front, showing the more isolated crystal above the calcites. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANOTHER of such quality, for this association with calcite, from here. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species EVER seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a large and showy specimen at, I think, a fair price for the size and quality.
bab11 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 750 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China miniature, 5.4 x 4.6 x 3.6 cm
This fascinating specimen can be viewed in more than one plane of view. One direction has radiating, prismatic, lustrous, black babingtonite crystals, to 4 cm in length. The other direction showcases a tabular, lustrous, black crystal measuring 3 cm across, associated with minor prehnite (parked at the bottom of the spray if you stand it with the spray facing up). Very elegant specimen and an extremely rich miniature with significantly large crystals for this size category. These remarkable specimens come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers.
bab12 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 1250 SOLD Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 8.1 x 5.9 x 3.7 cm
A Floater! This piece is a complete-all-around circlet of botryoidal, green prehnite, very translucent so that it glows when backlit. Encrusted upon this floating cloud of prehnite are discrete, tabular, lustrous, black, babingtonite crystals, to 2.5 cm (an inch!) in length. Along for the ride are some minor colorless quartzes, for accent. A very aesthetic specimen with superb color contrast, this is a well balanced small cabinet piece that you would have been hard-pressed to beat AT ANY PRICE from old finds at other locales. Lustre on the pristine and complete babingtonite crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species ever seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a fine small cabinet specimen that if it were from the old Lane Quarry would have set you back easily triple the price.
bab13 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 500 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 7.9 x 6.1 x 2.7 cm
A series of intergrown, tabular, lustrous, black, babingtonites, to 3.0 cm across, are associated with very minor bits of attached green prehnite on their sides. Basically this is a cluster of nearly solid babingtonite, rich beyond any expectation compared to previous finds from other locales. Lustre on the babingtonite crystals is high, and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better thanpast finds seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a rich and highly representative small cabinet specimen.
bab14 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 950 Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 8.6 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm
A solid, translucent and highly lustrous green prehnite plate is the host for a single starkly displayed crystal of tabular, lustrous black, babingtonite, measuring 2.9 cm in length. It is very equant and just sitting there perfect as can be, right in the middle of the translucent prehnite plate!!! The babingtonite is actually doubly-terminated, although one side ("top" to me) has better lustre on the termination. The isoalted, stark, central display is really striking and so I think this is a great specimen for the find and the species that stands out in its size class and does not break the bank. Lustre on the pristine and complete babingtonite crystal is high (except the bottom termination as it stands to my eye), and the faces are all sharp and unetched or discolored as with some babingtonite from this locality. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species ever seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a fine small cabinet specimen that if it were from the old Lane Quarry would have set you back easily triple the price.
BAB15 - Babingtonite on Prehnite - $ 300 SOLD Hongquizhen Quarry, Meigu Co., Liangshan, Sichuan Province, China cabinet, 10.1 x 8.9 x 3.8 cm
Perched high on a triangular-shaped matrix of attractive colorless quartz (xls to 1 cm) and prehnite, are three sharp babingtonites. They are very equant with height to 2 cm and with crystals reaching 2.5 cm in width. These remarkable specimens, where even the mid-range material is better than the best of species ever seen from anywhere else, come out of a very small, previously insignificant quarry that, according to MINDAT, is simply worked by the local farmers. This is a fine small cabinet specimen that if it were from the old Lane Quarry would have set you back easily triple the price.
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