SOLD
JB17-1803
Mimetite (Gem Pocket, 1971)
Tsumeb Mine, Otjikoto Region, Namibia
Thumbnail, 2.4 x 1.9 x 1.2 cm
Ex. Jennie Areson
SOLD

From the famous 1971 Gem Pocket, these crystals are the finest mimetites in existence in terms of sheer quality and there are only a handful that will ever come to market. The find has never been repeated or equaled and they remain iconic specimens in any collection. This is the most significant thumbnail specimen I have handled from the pocket, in decades of watching for them and only seeing a half dozen for sale of any caliber (less fat and gemmy than this, generally). The crystal is fat, balanced, and stunning in its gemminess. The luster is glassy, naturally. The main crystal is mostly translucent and has a sharp, lustrous and full termination. The crystals are partially included by Beaverite, a rare sulfate. This enhances the yellow saturation. An aesthetic thumbnail compared to the usually jumbled messes we more often see, and from THE SINGLE MOST FAMOUS FIND FOR THE SPECIES, this is a competition level thumbnail, and in fact was the cornerstone specimen of the collection of Jennie Areson. She last competed with her thumbnail suite in 1971 at the Freeport, New York show. (Her husband sold their collection of larger minerals as the Lee Areson collection). This thumbnail collection of hers then was sold intact to a single collector in the early 1980s and disappeared, remaining intact for 35 years until I purchased it recently (Her original scorecard accompanies this specimen as it was the most significant in the collection). This is, truly, a world class mineral specimen that also happens to be a world class thumbnail, of the highest level for competition exhibition or the species. Joe Budd photos.