This is a fine, old-time classic English Calcite in unusually excellent condition, and you can see why these jewels were so valued by the nobility of England and abroad in the 1800s for their textbook perfection and clarity. This excellent, elongate plate is richly covered with lustrous, colorless, modified scalenohedral Calcite crystals to 3 cm of great quality! The water-clear Calcite crystals project at many different angles, providing a dramatic, three-dimensional effect. The crystals are so transparent that the underlying olive green-brown matrix can be seen through the crystals. The random orientation of the Calcites, along with their numerous crystal faces, results in any incident light providing a sparkle to the piece. Calcites on Hematite-Goethite-rich matrix from Egremont, England are highly sought-after, and very difficult to obtain. These date to the mid to late 1800s, generally. Amazingly, this is essentially a pristine specimen. All of the major crystals are undamaged. It is a beautiful old classic that meets modern aesthetics. ex Chet Lemanski Collection