Name: Fresnoite on Analcime
Brand: The Arkenstone
Price: 6000 USD
Availability: InStock

Fresnoite on Analcime

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This is a highly unusual and aesthetic miniature of a very rare California find of best in species crystals of Fresnoite: A large, single, yellow-orange Fresnoite crystal (1.2 cm) is perched dramatically upon contrasting whitish Analcime crystal. Fresnoite is a rare barium-titanium silicate and is among the rarest of the San Benito County mineral suites - so rare most people will never see one. The world's best Fresnoites, undisputedly came from the Junnila Claim near the California State Gem Mine that produced the world famous Benitoites. This Fresnoite specimen is from the find made by the late dealer and field collector Scott Kleine in about 2002, called the "4th of July Pocket." There are articles on this discovery, which was the highlight of his mineral career. It features a 1.3 cm, wulfenite-looking crystal with a thick, yellow-orange rim and a pink core, which is incredibly rare for these! This piece resided in Scott's collection for some time, and I always felt it was one of the better miniatures in the find and for the species. At some time in the mid 2000s, he sold it to me, and i placed it with Paul Stahl of Mannheim in his exquisite collection of aesthetic rare species specimens. Note that this is one of the few specimens of associated Fresnoite on Analcime, and the best from my memory. It has no repairs, as well (many of them did). From memory, it was some price near $5000 even at that time, for Scott to part with it. It remains, to me, a unique and memorable piece formerly owned by two great collectors, both of which we sadly lost at young ages. Paul was very energetic in person but quite restrained (and German!) in his labelling. We include a scan of his label so you can see his unusual addition of several exclamation points, which has amused me to think of him doing.