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ex. Chuck Houser
This specimen features a dramatic 3 x 2 inch morganite hanging off the side of a smoky quartz. association pieces, and good morganite of any kind for that matter, is uncommon in San Diego except for the famous White Queen Mine (and even there, not THAT cmmon)! The morganite is complete on the front, contacted and partially recrystallized on the back. Morganite from County is usually rather etched, as well. But, not this one. A remarkable display specimen found by Roland Reed and passed on to Chuck in the 1990s.
ex. Chuck Houser
A rare locality aquamarine, from this small mine which has produced few gem crystals historically and so they are prized by County collectors all the more.
ex. Chuck Houser
On May 15, 1982, a famous specimen called the "Pala Princess" was unearthed by Roland Reed, mine owner. It was one repaired large plate consisting of a half a dozen pieces, 3 of them of some major consequence for the County and for US beryls in general. The piece was judged by John Sinkankas at the time to be the finest beryl specimen found in North America to date. This is the third of the larger plates that made up that piece, as shown in Sinkankas' updated book , Gems of North America, published shortly thereafter. Note he erroneously attributed the find to 1992, not 1982. In 2003, the plate was purchased from a private collector by Irv Brown and Stuart Wilensky; and disassembled into its parts, which were then trimmed and prepped individually to yield 3 major, unrepaired, (and much more) aesthetic morganite specimens. This is the third of those specimens, and it has never been for sale because Irv traded it directly to Chuck within the week. This piece would have comprised about 20% of the original surface area of the specimen, and features one of the larger crystals. You can see the unique nature of the piece, in its multiple coloration of both blue aqua and pink morganite, from the pics. In person, it is more obvious. This is a major County specimen, with incredibly neat provenance and history, the likes of which hasn't been mined since. Now, as opposed to having a too-large specimen with seven repairs and some damage about it, we have several MAJOR and pristine, unrepaired specimens which are individually of as much significance, I would think - but finer in quality.
ex. Chris Korpi
This 1300-gram (!!) hunk of etched aqua is not so ugly in person, I assure you. It is a REALLY important and unusual large beryl crystal for the County, with its entire upper surface dramatically etched over time into a sort of fantasyscape. It is very similar in this regard to some recent Brazilian material, but this was collected by Roland Reed in May of 1994 near his Elizabeth R Mine. It is to my knowledge a unique specimen and given the size and weight is really quite impressive in person.
ex. Chris Korpi
This important locality specimen features two very pink morganites adjoining one another on albite matrix. The larger crystal measures 6 x 5 cm. Acquired from the important San Diego collection of Chuck Houser in 2003. For size and price range, it is an excellent SD beryl, morganite no less, from a small quartz prospect called the Blue Lady because it initially produced odd quartz with blue inclusions.
ex. Chris Korpi
An important morganite because it is not just pretty; but is also from the STEWART MINE which was known for tourmalines but from which morganite was VERY rare. This piece has a rich pink color to it, exceptional lustre, and excellent display aesthetics. It is contacted in back, with minor associations of albite and tourmaline (the color being confirmatory of the Stewart pedigree). Important locality specimens are nice, but important pieces that LOOK good are even better...Ex. F John Barlow Collection via the Chuck Houser Collection (another important San Diego County collection)
ex. Chris Korpi
An absolutely astonishing, Pakistan-quality aquamarine from the famous but small Fano Mine just over the border from San Diego County proper and so close enough for this collection...it is extremely significant as a California beryl crystal but beyond that it is a superb display-quality aqua by any standard. This is a well-known specimen in San Diego circles and is regarded as the finest aqua from this small mine that has produced the finest gem aqua crystals in San Diego, though only a few of them and only many years ago!
ex. Chris Korpi
This elegant etched beryl crystal is a floater, terminated at both ends and superficialy looking like a pale kunzite. This piece has a pale peach-pink hue to it when placed against a white background. A rare and unique specimen for the Himalaya where beryl is very uncommon: formerly from the collection of Tim Sherburn, who got it in 1982 while doing cleaning and prep work for mine owner Pala Intl. It was found in August of 1982. Not so ugly in person
ex. Chris Korpi
This elegant etched beryl crystal tapers and is a floater, terminated at both ends. It glistens like wet glass! At first glance, you might think it colorless spodumene but these have been analyzed and proven to be beryl. A rare and unique specimen for the Himalaya where beryl is very uncommon: formerly from the collection of Tim Sherburn, who got it in 1982 while doing cleaning and prep work for mine owner Pala Intl. It was found in August of 1982. Not so ugly in person
ex. Chris Korpi
An unusual beryl crystal , period! It has a pleasing pastel blue color, and an unusual silky lustre to it. It is somewhat rough, not smooth, and just all around weird. This was acquired from Chuck Houser in 2003 and is thought to be one of the best beryl crystals from this locality
ex. Chris Korpi
A VERY RARE morganite from this small mine better known for aquamarines and the occasional tourmaline! The crystal measures 5 cm across and has a very pleasing pink color to it. However, on closer inspection this specimen shows both blue and pink zoning, and the effect is more pronounced in person where you can clearly see blue when looking down the c-axis. This is exactly similar to the famous piece of same provenance known as "The Pala Princess" which has been pictured in Sinkankas' books and noted as a very unique specimen. It has excellent lustre and is mostly translucent, if not transparent per se. For the mine, this is exceptional. It was collected by mine owner Roland Reed in 1982.
ex. Chris Korpi ex. Dr. Edward David
This important specimen is a rare matrix morganite with crystals to 4 cm, and gemmy at that. They have a brilliant internal brightness to them and a rich peachy color that is really quite unique to the old White Queen material, not matched for 3 decades. This piece would have originated with mine owner Norm Dawson and it has been through several collections in recent decades, most notably Dr. Edward David's first collection (dispersed in 1993) - his numbered label remains on the backside. At some point in the mid-90s it was repaired (cleanly) by dealer Cal Graeber. The repair is invisible unless you know to look for it and runs betweenm the two major crystals so that the crystals themselves are not repaired as such. Matrix morganties from California are rare, but pieces of this calibre are really limited to just a few dozen pieces and most of those are untouchable because they are in museums or priced over 20 thousand dollars these days. This is like owning a piece of history, and is a good investment as they only go up in value.
ex. Charlie Key
One of the choicest thumbnails in the collection, featuring a transparent, read-through, blue aqua perched on smoky! What perfect, complementing balance! The aqua rises through the smoky, which has grown around the base of the aqua. No damage, and complete and pristine all around save for a very shallow natural contact on the smoky that is hard to see anyhow, at its base. The aqua has PERFECT and highly bevelled termination
ex. Charlie Key
This cabinet specimen features a 6 x 2 x 2 cm aqua of deep color, with several accenting crystals by its termination, perched on a strangely etched, windswept-looking feldspar crystal cluster. It is EXTREMELY dramatic in its overall display, and you get a lot more for your money here than with a comparably sized Pakistani Aqua, which likely would have to have a repair to get to this price range and sitll retain the quality. I cannot tell you why , but Erongo Aquas just do not ge tthe respect they deserve. THIS ONE should! Comes with custom lucite display base.
ex. Charlie Key
A SUPERB cluster of intricate jackstraw aquas, among the best I have sene of this style form a few years ago, that just glows with color and glass lustre! Perfect, pristine, complete all around, and absolutely riveting! Comes with custom lucite display base.
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