NOTE IN PERSON THE COLOR IS AN EVEN , INTENSE PINK - the photos do not convey this well. This is a superbly sharp, unusually well-terminated crystal of about 370 grams, from the classic occurrence here. It is a floater, complete on the bottom, and looks equally fine from either side. For its size, it has robust color and also is completely gemmy and transparent. But it is the termination, that crazy sharp termination , that makes it a killer. Dallas-area collector Wally Mann bought this from Herb Obodda after one of his trips to Pakistan in the early 2000s and treasured it not just because it was fine; but also because it really could (and did) fool a lot of people, with its color and sharp form, into thinking that it was a turn-of-the-1900s piece from Pala, San Diego. But it was too big in size for his collection, as a whole, and so did not fit. Exchanged out to me, this is now for sale. For Afghanistan, in this size range, its one of the sharper and finer singles I have seen for my tastes.

A sharp, very aesthetic , cluster of two elongated kunzite crystals. Clusters such as this are uncommon, usually being found just as singles. This piece has classic pink color, not intense but not pale either. It is especially notable, though, for the razor sharp terminations from a locale where most kunzite terminations are etched and not as sharp. It is pristine, and complete all around. Formerly in the Jim Houran collection, of Dallas, TX. This piece is illustrated in book IKONS: Classic and Contemporary Masterpieces, by Wayne Thompson , 2007 (shown in a travelogue section as an acquisition made on one of his many buying trips to Pakistan in the 1980s-1990s).Comes with custom lucite display base

Few San Diego kunzites reach the combination of color and form that we now see from Afghani material. However, when they do so, they should be viewed as much more rare, and historically have been valued much higher. This particular specimen can hold its own with any modern Afghani piece, with which there are only subtle differences in composition. It is a doubly-terminated crystal of intense hot pink color, with great lustre and glassiness. The piece was found in the 1950's by San Diego collector George Ashley, and ended up in the Bill Larson collection. By the time of the American Treasures exhibition in Tucson (2008), the piece was in the noted california collection of Jesse Fisher and Joan Kureczka. It was exhibited in the Pala District case at that once-in-a-lifetime exhibition honoring America's mineral treasures, and comes with the commemorative display label. At 258 grams, it is hefty and a fair cabinet sized specimen. Joe Budd Photos. FEATURED IN THE AMT CASE AT TUCSON 2008 SHOW and ILLUSTRATED IN MINERALOGICAL RECORD COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

A complete floater, all gemmy and bright, from famous old finds here of the early 1980s. Formerly in the collection of Dr. Steve Smale, this is a gorgeous, display-quality small cabinet piece that can be shown from a number of angles. 170 grams. Joe Budd Photos.

A very large, robust, 800-gram (2 pound!) crystal from the famous finds at the "Beebe Hole Mine" as it came to be called. This crystal is sublty multicolored and is totally gemmy and transparent, and complete all around. It is in superb condition! Loren Beebe collected these in the 1970s and hoarded them until the late 1990s. No more were ever found by him here. When they were released, most crystals of this calibre went to the major local collectors in California, few getting to the broader market. This piece went into the Al Ordway collection. Joe Budd Photos. Comes with custom base

weight: 29.4 pounds. Perhaps one of the world's largest crystals for the species ! It is complete all around, and with remarkably little etching effects given the size of the crystal. It is nearly entirely gemmy, especially in the center. The tip just glows with purple and maroon hues, with any kind of good lighting , especially when light comes down the c-axis. For the remarkably equant and sharp termination, this would be major anyhow for the species, even if it were small (most have etched terminations as the sizes get longer, not as attractive to my eye). But in this size, its literally a museum piece and among the most impressive examples of this species I have seen. It is not so easy to hold as it looks...for any more than a few seconds in that position. Shown is Dave Wilber, holding the piece as he gave a discussion on its importance for a video series called "What's Hot in Tucson" in 2008

When I was first offered this specimen via email from a source in Peshawar, who said it had just been hauled in from Afghanistan, I passed on it. I thought it must be a glued-together fake, and a pretty bad fake at that since it was so obvious this could not be real. Unrepaired and a pristine floater complete all around?! HAH! (In fact, I was a little upset my source had the poor judgment to pass on to me such an obvious fake.) I have since been proven wrong, as I found when another foreign source bought the piece and put it in front of me here in the US, trusting I would freak out over it. It is real, it is unrepaired despite its intricate geometry and sheer size (nearly a foot tall!); and it is pristine and undamaged all around as advertised. Oh yes, and it is a floater! The morganite measures 8 x 8 x 3.25 cm and is the size of a hockey puck and as symmetrical as a crystal model. It is PERFECT, as if it were carved from pink ice. The color is a classic pink, not peachy-orange. The contrast of the pastel pink morganite and its sharp hexagonal form to the crazily tilting vertical spray of intense pink kunzites is, obviously, quite startling and exciting to see. It is one of the most 3-dimensional mineral specimens I could imagine and I feel privileged to offer this all-too-real miracle of survival. I was told recently by another dealer that they were offered the specimen in Peshawar when visiting (this was in 2007) but through an intermediary, and at a much higher price. My suspicion is that it did not sell simply because any buyer would have had to be suspicious of its reality - which I have thoroughly checked now in a modern prep lab to be sure of. This is a world class gem pegmatite combination specimen. Note that in normal lighting the photos below are more accurate. The first photo was taken by Joe Budd using stronger, studio lighting.