This is a significant locality specimen of linarite from the noted collection of Dr. Giancarlo Fioravanti, a specialist in the lead mineral deposits of Italy and in Italian minerals in general. It thus has the best provenance you can ask for in terms of authenticity. It was a famous piece in his collection before he passed away around the late 1990s, and the collection went into storage for possible donation to the Museum of Milan. However, it was later sold, and some pieces, including many significant Italian specimens, came to us. This specimen, with crystals to nearly 2 cm, is so far and above the expected quality for this old location that it is almost hard to believe. The matrix, though, is unique and identifiable. This is for the very serious locality collector only, who can appreciate a significant example of this mineral species from Europe, when normally the best are from the USA. Joe Budd Photos.