The world's finest barites were once found in the iron mines of Cumbria. This limpid, single crystal is no exception - in fact it is the finest crystal for sheer quality, I have seen for sale from those old days. It is glassy and gemmy, with a lovely yellow color. It went into the BMNH in 1926 (possibly with the Trechmann Collection) and then was exchanged out by curator John Fuller to Tony Walshaw in the 1970's (I would consider that a huge mistake! although the BMNH has bigger, I cannot imagine finer and would not have let it go!). From there, it went to the Greenbank collection in 1989. The old BMNH label accompanies the specimen. Superb in every way, this piece is one of the favorites of many who see the collection in its entirety ! It is prominently featured in the book, Minerals of Northern England, shown on page 131 with its accompanying old BMNH label. Joe Budd photo, atop. a JEWEL and one of the highlights of the collection !

This classic 19th-century barite specimen sits on crystallized, pearlescent dolomite. It consists of intergrown crystals, the largest of which is 7 cm across and doubly-terminated. The crystals are glassy and gemmy , with transparent terminations; and the color is a light bluish-gray hue. Some minor bruising is present at one termination and on a few edges but is of no visual consequence in context (although price is reduced a bit accordingly to be fair and honest about it - it still looks like a million bucks!). Along with the specimen are labels from: Dr. A.E. Foote, prominent 19th-century American dealer ; Mitchell Gunnell - a prominent collector specializing in English minerals in the mid-1900s; English dealer Nick Carruth; and an older Lindsay Greenbank collection tag. This is a classic example of the mid to late 1800s finds here. It is prominently featured in the book, Minerals of Northern England, shown on page 133. NOTE color is difficult to show somehow, for this piece. the color in the first photo is most accurate in halogen/sunlight.