THE VAULT
This is a special section of the website dedicated to very significant, admittedly pricier, specimens in context. Many of these minerals find homes with collectors who not only enjoy the beauty of fine minerals, but also treat their collections as valuable alternative investments.
- JB17-1904 - Silver with Acanthite
- Mildigkeit Gottes mine, Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway
- Cabinet, 13.5 x 8.0 x 4.0 cm
An important and old 1800's-era Silver, from the King of silver mines. The curator of the Kongsberg Museum identified the mine for me, saying it was immediately obvious to him the mine and the time it came out. Few enough of such size are on the market, and not tied up in museums already after all t... Click For More Information
- JB17-1905 - Apophyllite on Stilbite
- Savada, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India
- Cabinet, 11.5 x 10.5 x 9.5 cm
Apophyllite in a quality and style not often seen before, for this combination in this size, with an 8 cm gem point standing straight up from contrasting matrix! A single remarkable pocket produced these sharp, standing gem crystals of exceedingly gemmy mint-green apophyllite perched on clouds of pi... Click For More Information
- JB17-1912 - Aquamarine
- Shigar Valley, Skardu District, Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Northern Areas), Pakistan
- Cabinet, 15.0 x 14.0 x 6.5 cm
The photos say it all, for this massive, important, piece. It has a truly incredible, vibrant, lively color that must be seen to be believed - and is visible from across the room! Photo by Joe Budd. Comes with a custom lucite base. View a rotating video of this specimen at https://goo.gl/XqGSgF
- JB17-1961 - Scheelite with Cassiterite
- Mt Xuebaoding, Pingwu, Pingwu Co., Sichuan Province, China
- Cabinet, 11.0 x 11.0 x 8.0 cm
Scheelite from this now-diminished mine near the famous Panda Preserve in China simply is, beyond any question, the gold standard for the species. I have followed these for 20 years, since the mid-1990s, and they got better for awhile and then tapered off suddenly after the big earthquake of 2008. T... Click For More Information
- JB17-1892 - Tanzanite
- Block 4, Merelani Mines, Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
- Miniature, 4.1 x 2.6 x 1.6 cm
Tanzanite is briefly common on the market in crystals - but do not expect that to last forever, from this one-source deposit. And, not in this quality - the crystal is literally a gem, stunningly clean and transparent with only a few veils within, incredible luster and color, and a razor sharp and n... Click For More Information
- JB17-1898 - Herderite on Blue Topaz
- Xanda Mine, Virgem De Lapa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Small Cabinet, 7.5 x 6.0 x 4.5 cm
From the famous 1969 pocket of purple Hydroxylherderites (see Bancroft's famous book Gem & Crystal Treasures)... Herderite from the single amazing find of 1969 set the world standard, and these purple herderites are almost never seen for sale today as they remain in collections and museums which... Click For More Information
- JB17-1899 - Azurite with Malachite
- Milpillas Mine, Sonora, Mexico
- Small Cabinet, 9.2 x 6.0 x 4.8 cm
Milpilas flowed azurite, and then flowed some more when we thought the oxidation zone would not give up more (watercourse pocket going down into the oxidized orebody), and then finally came to a crashing end for supply of the worl'ds best and most prolific azurite finds in all of history. Neverthele... Click For More Information
- JB17-1887 - Pentagonite on Stilbite
- Wagholi Quarries, Wagholi, Pune District, Maharashtra, India
- Small Cabinet, 8.0 x 6.8 x 5.0 cm
Pentagonite is the much more rare cousin of cavansite, technically a "dimorph" which means that it is the same chemistry but a different crystal habit, and therefore a different species. The color is equally good, but the sparkly luster on pentagonites at their best is better than most cavansite. Th... Click For More Information
- JB17-1741 - Fluorite and Rhodochrosite
- Four Ball Pocket, Sweet Home Mine, Mount Bross, Park Co., Colorado, USA
- Cabinet, 15.0 x 10.0 x 4.8 cm
The number of Colorado rhodochrosite specimens combined with fine fluorite of any quality can probably be counted on two hands. The number of cabinet sized examples, is probably half a dozen in all time. This large, fine, gorgeous plate has no repair or restoration unlike many others. It shows off a... Click For More Information
- JB17-1743 - Copper
- Central Mine, Central, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, USA
- Large Cabinet, 38.0 x 23.0 x 9.0 cm
This important copper specimen is one of the single most significant coppers to come to market in my life and is from the mid-1800s heyday of mining in the Upper Peninsula. It has been preserved without damage or cleaning (which would ruin the ancient and natural patina) for over 100 years, probably... Click For More Information