SM21-199
Benitoite with Neptunite
Gem Mine, New Idria Mining Dist., San Benito Co., California, USA
Cabinet, 10.1 x 8.8 x 2.4 cm
SOLD
A showy and beautiful plate richly covered with gemmy, indigo-blue Benitoite crystals and lustrous, black Neptunite crystals - all on a contrasting snow-white Natrolite matrix from the famous and now closed Dallas Gem Mine of California. Over three dozen Benitoite crystals are present ranging from 2 mm to 1.3 cm on edge, many of them well formed triangle shapes and others around the periphery are lightly contacted. The jet-black Neptunite crystals are from 3 mm to 2.2 cm in length with almost all of them sharply formed and terminated, many of them sticking straight up off the matrix! There is just the right amount of Natrolite for perfect contrast for both the Benitoite and Neptunite. There is little likelihood of more material from this famous locality, at least in this overall size range.