This remarkable specimen is one of the finest hematites recovered from England, for crystal quality, according to both Ralph Sutcliffe and Lindsay Greenbank (who should know!). It is not just specular, druse material as is commonly seen - but features real, sharp, disclike crystals. The lustre is fantastic, like black mirrors. Atop these brilliant blades hangs like decoration a row of sharp quartz crystals of the unusual habit so desirable and unique to this mine (sometimes called beta quartz-like in form). All is atop a thin rind of hematite "kidney ore." This piece was the best specimen of a small pocket blasted into in 1978, by Raymond Clements. He was at the time the underground mine surveyor for this company and selected this specimen for his own collection, while the rest were sadly destroyed. It is very difficult to convey in photos how sparklign and vividly color contrasting this specimen really is, but the piece, winglike in its stretched-out appearance, is stunning in person. Illustrated in "Classic Minerals of Northern England," page 128. (Joe Budd photos)

A sharp, lustrous, deep green Uvarovite garnet crystal with excellent emerald-green color from the famous Outokumpu Mine of Finland. The sharp, 1.2 cm crystal has textbook dodecahedral form and is in remarkably good condition. Uvarovite is the calcium chromium garnet group end member. This is a classic specimen from a premier locality, with a relatively large crystal. It makes for a very aesthetic thumbnail

Outstanding, and truly first-tier, combination piece of a fabulous Anatase balanced upon a gemmy, pristine, Quartz crystal. Normally, the Anatases you see associated with Quartz are less than 1 cm, but this lustrous, euhedral bipyramid is an astounding 2.7 cm in length. The presentation faces are shiny, striated, and very sharp. There is some contacting on the base of the reverse side, but that is where it grea against matrix and it is otherwise complete. Considering the sharp, gemmy Quartz, and the magnificient Anatase-of-huge-size, this is just a killer! To me, it is one of the finest pieces in this collection. It is a toenail sized specimen (either a large thumbnail or a small miniature depending on how you angle it for display) ex Sam Nasser collection. Specimens like this are stunning examples of this unusual species, seldom seen. it is top tier.

The Messina Mine is home to these unique, and beautiful, Quartz crystals included by the rare copper silicate, Ajoite. The first generation of Quartz is richly coated by the Ajoite, and the second generation Quartz then preserves it as a wonderful turquoise-blue phantom within. And , these are doubly-terninated, no less. Rarely will you find one of these combination pieces in such good, aesthetic, quality;AND in a thumbnail size!