SOLD
TCH11
Scheelite on Muscovite
Mt. Xuebaoding, Ping Wu, Sichuan Province, China
Cabinet, 10.5 x 9.6 x 9.6 cm
Ex. Dr. Stephen Smale
SOLD
This is a really oustanding piece because it has excellent symmetry, good color, high luster, and most importantly sits upright on just the right amount of attractive crystallized matrix with ALL display terminations exposed and showing! It measures 8 x 7 x 7 cm. Usually more than one termination is buried in the matrix. Here, all but the bottom and rare is freestanding and shooting out at you. The tips are very GEMMY, not just translucent, with exceptional luster to them. In the photos, I know it looks like just another big scheelite on matrix, but I can tell you its of exceptional quality, that you do not often see. Steve Smale has been highgrading the flow of these out of China since the mid 90s, from his base in Hong Kong when he taught there. I was fortunate to be able to complete a large trade at Tucson and delve into his stash of specimens culled out of the "glory days" of this mine. The rumor mill says this mine has its days numbered (and is already shut down for really intense explorative mining), because its adjacent to a panda preserve and threatening that land with environmental impact and population pressure. I think, looking back on the 90s, these scheelites will be remembered as one of the great Chinese classics and people were realize that there simply were not as many great ones around as we thought. This IS a great one, of high caliber, and I think in a very fair price range for one of such quality and size.