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4MN14 - Scheelite on Muscovite - $ 750 Mt. Xuebaoding, near Ping Wu, Sichuan Province, China small cabinet, 6.9 x 5 x 4.3 cm
This plate has deep orange-colored scheelites, to 2.5 cm on edge, nicely perched atop a well-trimmed matrix! The color is unusually rich and deep, and the lustre is good . A good, rich plate for the price from the same pocket as produced the other unusually dark-orange crystals shown above
AZMEX03 - Scheelite - $ 12500 Rogers’ Mine, Dos Cabezas, Cochise County, Arizona, USA small cabinet, 8.8 x 8.0 x 6.3 cm (WEIGHT 1.25 kilos!) ex. Les and Paula Presmyk
This is easily one of the finest and largest scheelite specimens, for sale, ever found in Arizona. Probably found in the 1930-40’s, this composite specimen has two, large, translucent crystals, to 6.0 cm in length. But the single, most compelling characteristic is its almost neon, glowing reddish- orange color, which rivals the most deeply saturated scheelites from China. AND THE SIZE! IT WEIGHS ABOUT THREE POUNDS! There is even a colorless, lustrous quartz crystal, 4.0 cm in length, on top right corner of the specimen. It is complete on the front and back sides, with only a few nicks and some minor asymmetries. Only on the front far left side is there any real damage. But this is overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of the specimen! This piece, for impact in both context of natural history and sheer gutbusting beauty and color, is important! I asked Les and Evan how they would rank this and both basically felt that they between them have three of the top pieces known, of which this is one (and the bigger).
BEM-44 - Scheelite on Quartz - $ 750 Zinnwald, Bohemia, Czech Republic miniature, 5.5 x 4.0 x 1.7 cm
The scheelite is exceptional for Zinnwald ...this is CLASSIC old scheelite from a classic locality, with crystals to 9mm, perched on a terminated quartz shard. This is very beautiful and aesthetic!. ex. American Museum of Natural History and shows a Bement collection numbering on the bottom, along with the "arrow" that the AMNH curator Gratacap used to show alignment of specimens on a display shelf. This indicates the piece was on display after the donation of the Bement collection around 1910, by JP Morgan
CHFLO2-37 - Fluorite with Scheelite - $ 95 SOLD Yaogangxian Mine, Hunan Province, China miniature, 3.6 x 3.5 2.0 cm
Razor-sharp phantom edge lines make these crystals dramatic. Each is about 1.3 cm. The sparkling brown crystals are sharp scheelite octohedra, rare for this locality in association with fluorite.
D10 - Scheelite with Fluorite - $ 175 SOLD Tong Wah, South Korea thumbnail, 2.3 x 1.6 x 1.5 cm ex. Marilyn Dodge
This is a terrific combination piece consisting of gemmy clear-to-purple Fluorite cubes (partially coated with drusy Quartz for accent) arranged en echelon along a pair of gemmy and highly lustrous Scheelite crystals. Very distinctive, not only for the aesthetics but for the location, as well.
D10-03 - Scheelite - $ 42000 Mt. Xuebaoding, Pingwu, Sichuan Prov., China large cabinet, 15.0 x 10.4 x 6.5 cm
This is a super colorful scheelite from the 2007 "RED POCKET," with unusual and distinct red tones laid over the classical orange hue. It is bright and intensely colored, and remarkably it is complete all around. For the sheer size (over 5 pounds weight!), I have not seen its equal in color and condition. With high lustre and deep color combined with size, this is a very important and rare large specimen that has to stand among top pieces from this locality. China is the world's best locality for scheelites, unarguably. The scheelites coming from this extremely remote mountain locality are orders of magnitude prettier and better than those from anywhere else. However, the locale is remote , hard to work, and subject to pressure to work with hand tools if at all because it is located next to the major Sichuan Province Wolong. Panda Bear preserve. Production has definitely tapered off in the last decade, after an initial gold rush of mining here. The earthquake a few years ago in 2008 didn't help, making already difficult roads even more so. The mine is actually accessed by mule and pack train, and resides high in the mountain above the town of Ping Wu. Mark my words, someday when the Chinese collectors begin to collect with the sophisticated "specimen style," instead of mostly "mother rocks" and big clunkers, big and showy specimens like this will see price increases in multiples.
D10-48 - Ferberite ps. after Scheelite (formerly Reinite) - $ 950 SOLD Otome mine, Kofu City, Yamanashi prefecture, Chubu region, Honshu Island, Japan miniature, 4.8 x 4.3 x 2.9 cm
A very rare replacement from an old Japanese locale, this is a rare cluster of crystals with matrix. It is heavy, thick , and very 3-dimensional! The piece still carries on old label in Japanese and English noting that this is "Reinite from Otomesake, Kai Prov." Interestingly the label may be associated with an organized collection by a metals factory related to the mining: "Shimadzu Factory, Specimen Department." rare, old material seldom seen in any quality. This specimen was at the Munich show last year (09) and comes from the Christian Rewitzer collection
den07-24 - Cuprotungstite XLS on Scheelite - $ 950 SOLD Gold Hill District (Clifton District), Deep Creek Mts, Tooele Co., Utah, USA thumbnail, 2.0 x 1.8 x 1.6 cm ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences ex. William Vaux
SHARP, definite crystals to 3 mm of the rare species Cuprotungstite are here perched atop an altering scheelite crystal (that is itself now partially Cuprotungstite ), on this amazing rare species piece from a very old US locality. Not much to look at, except dark green micros on a brown octo, but a very significant little treasure nonetheless. Sold by Cahn around WWI, judging by the address on his label.
DEN11-355 - Scheelite on Muscovite - $ 13500 Ping Wu, Sichuan Province, China large cabinet, 16 x 14 x 10 cm
This is a dramatic specimen featuring a very well-exposed scheelite crystal perched upon wings of thick muscovite blades, on muscovite matrix. The contrast is good, and the size is impressive. The sharp, well-centered scheelite crystal is very equant and balanced at 6.5 x 6 x 6 cm in size. The color of the scheelite is a very clean orange hue, not too brown and not unusually red as some more recent finds (this came out in the mid-2000s). We nicknamed this piece "the heart" for obvious reasons! Joe Budd photos .
GEMS-004 - Scheelite - $ 300 Khapalu, Pakistan thumbnail, 6.7 x 6.3 mm ; 1.83 carats
Scheelite can be some of the most beautiful among the less common gems. The high refractive index allows for very bright stones with vivid colors. Scheelite is found in many different environments, but one of the lesser known localities is in the high Pakistani Himalayas in the metamorphic contact at Khapalu. This is one of the most vibrant metamorphic Scheelites I’ve seen with a very bright orange color (richer in person than the photos show). The stone is only very very slightly included with a wide Trillion cut.
J11-32 - Scheelite on Quartz - $ 6500 Gharmung area, Skardu District, Baltistan, Northern Areas, Pakistan cabinet, 10.3 x 7.5 x 3.5 cm
Scheelite from Pakistan has come out in a trickle , from at least two localities, over the last few years. But seldom have we seen anything really major by worldwide standards for the species, from Pakistan or Afghanistan. This piece really excited me for the overall crystal size, and the aesthetic placement on matrix. Also, it has a different visual aspect to it than the other scheelites from China, Korea, or other sparser locales. You just see it cannot be from anywhere else. The large crystal is something like a pagoda in form, and is 6 cm tall. It is freestanding with a fine, complete termination. Found in mid-2010. Joe Budd photos
J11-49 - Scheelite on Muscovite - $ 12500 Huya village, Mt Xuebaoding, Pingwu Co., Mianyang Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China cabinet, 14 x 13 x 9 cm
This large display specimen features two sharp, very well-formed scheelites perched atop a nicely trimmed matrix. The crystals have a classic orange color, and are to 6 cm on edge, with the larger one nearly 9 cm from tip to tip the long way across. Interestingly, the rightmost scheelite has a pocket growth on its front face of small, gemmy, glassy beryl crystals, just tucked in there. Both scheelites display exceptional freestanding form and show most of their octohedral terminations up in the air. Such large, display-worthy pieces have become noticeably rarer of late years, as a result of many factors in both China and the mine itself. It displays nicely on a custom lucite base. Joe Budd photos
JMIX07-153 - Fluorite, Scheelite, and Quartz - $ 325 SOLD Yaogangxian Mine, Chenzhou, Hunan Province, China miniature, 5.5 x 3 x 2.5 cm
A very unusual and wonderfully aesthetic combo specimen that features gem fluorites in association with a cluster of razor-sharp scheelites – with little snowy calcite rhombs and a euhedral quartz crystal forming the backdrop! Small cleave, tiny an dhard to see, on one bottom corner of the fluorite only. Comes with a custom-cut lucite stand.
K-195 - Scheelite - $ 2250 SOLD Gamsberg Region, Namibia small cabinet, 7.0 x 5.9 x 4.2 cm ex. Charlie Key
A MAJOR scheelite for the locality, with unusually good lustre and faces ...but also a rich peach-orange color that is much prettier than the normal brownish hue you see in smaller examples from here. These are quite rare. I have handled only a handful in 20 years. This is by far the best in terms of aesthetics I have seen, although I once had a slightly larger , if cruder, specimen. Charlie considered this to be a very important speicmen in his Namibian suite, as do I.
LGC-15 - Scheelite - $ 2100 SOLD Carrock Fell, Cumberland, Cumbria, England miniature, 4.9 x 4.0 x 2.8 cm ex. Lindsay Greenbank
This is a relatively sharp, euhedral crystal of pearlescent white, and translucent scheelite, a fairly rare mineral for England! It fluoresces an opaque, blue -white and a light bronze under SW/LW ultraviolet light. Ex. Collections of A.G Moss Sr. and Jr. and Ralph Sutcliffe along with their labels. It was then purchased for the Greenbank collection in 1991 when the Sutcliffe collection was sold to the Greenbanks. Ralph told me the piece had been in the miner's family since the early 1900s and he had not seen another comparable for sale. Nothing like it was found in more recent digging here. It thus remains a hugely significant locality example of this species. Illustrated in the Greenbank Collection book, page 28 (Joe Budd photo, shown here)
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