A rare example of this classic, turn-of-the-1900s era, pseudomorph in which malachite and azurite together formed a cast around selenite, which then dissolved out and left the crystals hollow. From the noted pseudomorph collection of dealer and collector, Ken Roberts. Joe Budd photos

A rare example of this classic, turn-of-the-1900s era, pseudomorph in which malachite and azurite together formed a cast around selenite, which then dissolved out and left the crystals hollow. From the noted pseudomorph collection of dealer and collector, Ken Roberts. Joe Budd photos

Recently exchanged to me from the large collection of Jack Halpern, this is a very appealing, sculpturally carved matrix of massive selenite that is host to numerous gem crystals within. It is actually a complete pocket, preserved intact (by removing and trimmig with a saw, to extract it, but this is par for the course on one of these). It is very beautiful and sparkling, both because of the gem crystals themselves and for the contrast to the drusy crystallization coating the matrix pocket in which they grew. One of the better examples I have seen in recent years, these were once common but are now scarce. Jack obtained it from dealer Ken Roberts in the 1980s. Joe Budd photos

Once, in the early 1990s, these were abundant on the market due to collectors pursuing them by license. However, now collecting is severely restricted in this spillway cut, and in any case few specimens of this size and perfection were ever recovered (i recall most are in the 2-3 inch range). Collectors had to dig several meters down in the mud, where these had formed somehow as floaters in a specific layer. This is a HUGE cluster, for the locale, with gorgeous, gemmy, transparent twinned crystals of gypsum sticking out like towers from the smaller untwinned crystals making up the ball beneath. It is complete and perfect all around, with no damage despite the natural softness of gypsum. Such specimens were literally found in a fraction of a percentile of the time. Joe Budd Photos.

This beautiful and unusual specimen has a core of glassy and colorless gypsum crystals up to 1 cm in length. A druse of royal blue azurite, to .5 cm in length is on the smaller gypsum crystals and included within the larger ones, giving the whole specimen a wonderful color contrast. I have seen this material over the years, in trickles to the market. Never have I seen one of this size, quality, and overall showiness.It is, to me, a unique and interesting azurite occurrence in a combination that is for some reason simply almost never seen. Out of all the specimens of this material I have sene over the years, this one floored me for its overall quality and impact.