Small golds do not often have so much sheer impact a this one, for both its shape and overall quality. The crystals are sharp and robust, and the lustre is phenomenal. The pics say it all�This is a competition level toenail specimen (small miniature size)! It is mesmerizing in its intricate details, in person - small but insanely high quality

Dioptase from Morenci is a thing of rarity, and seldom do you see any large plates of quality. This is an extremely rare and fine example, with a solidly covered display face AND a pocket in the side that are completely filled with large crystals for the locale, and extremely rich coverage. The top surface features sharp little dioptaes against a sparkling druse of quartz, for contrast. Unusual! It is an important example of dioptase from a US locale, and many people aren't even aware they exist as they are just so hard to come by. Collected in the 1980s, and ex Harold Urish collection . MUCH BETTER IN PERSON!

An incredible miniature from the same pocket as #118 above - superlatives simply cannot describe the beauty of this piece with its ridiculous sparkly covering of microscopic quartz over the deep green pseudo. It is also pristine and complete on both sides, and sharp as you could wish (among the sharper malachite pseudos from anywhere, period). Rare material - I have seen only a half dozen pieces from this pocket over the years, and from context we think it came out in the 1970s sometime but that is just a guess. Pricey perhaps, but yes it is really that good, and is an award-level miniature specimen of a quality and style that seldom comes up

A superb piece, which most people would never in a million years believe was from the USA ! This actually came from the famous McEarl pocket, in the mid 1980s, and was then long in the collection of the owner, Jimmy Coleman. From the mid 1990s until recently, it was then in the collection of Marcus Budil. The piece is absolutely gorgeous, complete and 3-dimensional all around. It shows a stark, sharp faden line, which is unusual for the locality - and for this size, from any locality. Joe Budd photos.

This very rare matrix liddicoatite specimen features a 3.5-cm crystal , doubly-terminated, perched in a matrix of crystallized cleavelandite and quartz. The crystal is very gemmy, so that you can look into it and through most of its depth. The termination is phenomenally sharp. The display aesthetics of this very gemmy, lustrous crystal are great! Rarely do you see one on good matrix, from this classic locale. Older specimen, probably from the early 2000s and not a recent find. Joe Budd photos.