SOLD
TUC114-068
Inesite on Hubeite
Fengjiashan Mine (Daye Copper mine), Edong, Daye County, Hubei Province, China
Small Cabinet, 8.0 x 7.0 x 4.5 cm
Ex. Dr. Stephen Smale
SOLD
Inesite from this mine in China, starting after about 2005, set a new record for quality in the species. This is a specimen from the early finds here, which was gobbled up along with most of the first production by an early bird to the scene, collector (and hoarder) Steve Smale. He kept it after selling off many other pieces, as a superb example for aesthetics. It features a 4-cm-tall bowtie-shaped rosette of crystals, that is perched freestanding up and off of a contrasting matrix. The matrix is coated by the rare species hubeite, for which this is the type locality. Overall, for the size, this is one of the more aesthetic and balanced specimens we have had. It was exchanged to me in 2008 by Dr. Smale. Joe Budd Photos