A very unusually grown quartz crystal showing twisted growth and a strange termination. From a small find in 1981. From the specialized Maine thumbnail collection of Jim Mann.

From a superb pocket of unusually intense rose quartz for this classic old locality, found in 2009, this is perhaps the best thumbnail specimen. And, for my taste, frankly the most aesthetic and interesting rose quartz i have EVER seen form the USA (and for pedigree, this locality long predates the modern Brazilian material as the historic locale of choice for rose quartz). This specimen hosts a flowing scepter of rose quartz, VERY pink, atop a core of white quartz. It is striking. You could simply not ask for a better rose quartz in thumbnail sized specimen, taking into account the aesthetics, symmetry, full TN size, and import of the locality. From the specialized Maine thumbnail collection of Jim Mann, and perhaps my favorite piece in the small lot I obtained after he sold a number of pieces to yet another thumbnail collector recently. Honestly, I'm tempted to go greedy and double the price. It is a SUPERB thumbnail, and just floored me when I realized it was from Maine, when i instinctively went to it thinking it was Brazilian.

This extremely sharp and well-developed scepter is from the famous 1985 find at Hopkinton, near the coast in Rhode Island. This find was instantly one of those classics where specimens became treasured like gold among East Coast collectors, and few were seen to trickle out. Today, they are very hard to come by. I have seen many miniatures, a few larger still, but this is a superb, well-balanced thumbnail specimen. From the specialized Maine thumbnail collection of Jim Mann. (although technically a miniature, this squeezes into a TN box when mounted diagonally).

This is a rich rosy-pink colored "fan-spray" of crystals that is really impactful, due to both the color and lustre - uncommonly good and even for a piece this size. It also is composed of unusually fat, robust crystals which sparkle nicely from their broad faces. Some of the crystals reach 1.5 inches in size, and the whole plate is composed of such robust pink crystals grown into one another, end to end. It is nearly a floater, with just a few small contacts on the sides, and actually complete and smooth in back where it must have grown against a large crystal of another mineral. Although not the gemmiest rose quartz, this piece has an overall style quite different from the norm. Also, whereas most rose quartz specimens tend to have small bits of rose quartz on other minerals, this is a solid plate with a LOT of impact and richness of the rose quartz itself. From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos

A highly unusual amethyst specimen - this being a slice cut from a single large crystal out of India. We do not know the exact locale, but I have seen large amethysts that might cut such sections out of Karur District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is 35 grams, and polished both sides. The inner patterns here are fascinating and unusual! From the collection of Hubert De Monmonier (1919-2007), donated by bequest to the University of Arizona Museum to add to their displays; and to provide specimens for the recent sale to establish an endowment fund for museum operations in perpetuity. Joe Budd photos