This classic and magnificent Cumbrian calcite specimen features extraordinarily clean and glassy gem crystals emplaced in a slightly concave limonite matrix. More than thirty totally colorless crystals of prismatic, nail-head calcite, to 4 cm in length, cover the matrix. An added aesthetic touch comes from a natural "window hole" through the matrix in the center. This was originally in the collection of top 19th-Century American collector, W.W. Jefferis (1810-1910), who specialized in English classics at teh time that they were contemporary - so this says a lot. His number 2239 was once affixed to the back (as confirmed by the Carnegie Museum which further noted his 1892 purchase price of $1.50). His important collection was acquired by the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh in 1905 and this piece was later acquired in exchange from the museum, in 1980, by American dealer Dr. Gary Hansen. So, in its first approximately 100 years out of the ground, it was owned by one collector and a museum - and Jefferis was a HUGE buyer of the best English minerals of the day, sourcing directly with top British dealers of the mining district as they came out. He was offered many of the finest specimens to cross to the Americas at the time. After the museum deaccession, through dealer Ralph Sutcliffe, this specimen soon after found its way to Lindsay Greenbank - in whose collection it remained for some 25 years until now. Thus, only 2 collectors and a museum have owned it in 105 years time! I credit this fact with its survival in good condition. It is in fact pristine except only for only a single broken crystal, on the left periphery. This is easily one of the finest surviving calcite specimens of this habit to come to market for the serious collector in decades, both from this collection and from the mines as a whole. It will stand as one of the major cabinet pieces of the Greenbank collection. And, for thsoe more concerned with aesthetics than pedigree and provenance, it ALSO happens to sparkle like a jewel and fit any significant criteria of the modern standard in aesthetic mineral collecting. Illustrated in "Classic Minerals of Northern England," page 115, as a fullpage photograph (Joe Budd photo, shown atop). One of only three superb large cabinet calcites in this collection, despite his 40 years of acquisitions. NOTE: this is the calcite captioned ‘ British Mineral classics 5’  used as a centrefold photo in UK Journal of Mines & Minerals Issue no 7.

Emplaced on limonite matrix is a sharp, fine plate of glassy and gemmy scalenohedrons of colorless calcite to 3.5 cm in length. Unusually set off against one another in this cluster, the crystals at their bases exhibit dendritic inclusions of manganese . This contrasts nicely with the colorless and gemmy bodies of the crystals and makes the piece look much more 3-dimensional and interesting - and unusual in context compared to others from here. It is nearly pristine, and displays dramatically. This specimen was obtained by Lindsay Greenbank in exchange (circa 1980s) with the Tullie House Museum: The Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Carlisle, Cumbria in England; and was opened by the Carlisle Corporation in 1893. Illustrated in "Classic Minerals of Northern England," page 124 and as a fullpage photograph on the back cover of the book. Joe Budd photo, end bottom row