TUC17A-06
Neptunite
Dallas Mine, San Benito Co., California, USA
Miniature, 4.4 x 3.6 x 2.4 cm
SOLD

This is a dramatic, sculptural, highly unusual CLUSTER of neptunite crystals, from the one and only, world's best locality for the species. This kind of elegant cluster is almost unheard of from the mine, where these usually exist only as single crystals or binary pairs, often flatlaying on matrix. I cannot recall seeing but a few such pieces in my lifetime of dealing (30 years plus, now). This thing is a floater, complete all around! It is 3-dimensional, and displays as a full miniature in a case that you have to look at closely to realize that you are looking at a cluster of neptunites and not a cluster of dark tourmaline or some such. Pristine, cmplete, no damage - a significant specimen for any collector of USA miniatures, that stands out from others. This was field-colelcted and etched from the surrounding natrolite by welll known Bay Area collector, Dan Evanich, many years ago (and exchanged to me perhaps 4-5 years ago from his collection). Startling! Better in person, as well.