Kyanite is well-known from North Carolina, though not nearly as common as from Brazil in specimens of course. However, unlike with the Brazilian ones, it is very rare to find an intense blue GEMMY crystal like this -- which explains why it was in the Barlow Collection (specimen #B210). This fine, beautiful crystal, terminated on one end, measures 6 cm. It is not only comparable in crystal quality to Brazilian material which in this quality is already uncommon and expensive, but from a US locality not known for this kind of quality by any stretch. It surely is a standout one would not expect in a US minerals collection, I would say. It is surely an old specimen. It came from the collection of F. John Barlow, dispersed in 1998.