SDL-04
Beryl var. Aquamarine - early 1900s
Fano Mine, Little Cahuilla Mountain, Riverside Co., California, USA
Small Cabinet, 6.1 x 3.7 x 3.5 cm
Ex. William (Bill) Larson
$4,200.00 Payment Plan Available
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A highly unusual, complicated and striated beryl var. aquamarine crystal with a pleasing light blue color and from one of the oldest and most desired of San Diego gem localities, Fano Mine. It is complete all around, and simply like no other San Diego aquamarine we have seen, with complicated edges and a really interesting display. Thought to be from the early 1900s era of mining. Never to the lab for modern cleaning, it looks a bit antique still, even with a little iron rich pocket clay in some cracks. 127 grams. From the important and long held personal San Diego County Collection of William "Bill" Larson, longtime owner of the Himalaya Mine, discoverer of the famous Queen Mine BlueCap pocket, and numerous other San Diego mining projects over the last 60 years and more. According to mindat.org: The deposit was first discovered by Bert Simmons in 1902, and is best known for its production of well-crystallized schorl and gem aquamarine, as well as pink tourmaline and spodumene. Two contiguous lode mining claims (Big Pink and Little Blue lodes; MS 4800) are commonly referred to as the Fano Mine, and aggregate approximately 37.54 acres. The property is private land, patented January 29th, 1912 by the Fano Kunzite Tourmaline Mining company.

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