Talc ps. after Quartz

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It's hard to imagine anything happening chemically to Quartz in nature, so the famous Talc replacement after Quartz specimens from Germany are some of the most surprising, and interesting, pseudomorphs around. This specimen is entirely a pseudomorph, highlighted by one well-formed 4 cm Quartz crystal altered to tan Talc. The luster and definition of this sharp pseudo are very good, and the overall condition is excellent. As these were mined so long ago (I am told the late 1800s and early 1900s), they generally only come available when very large old collections turn up on the market again. This large miniature is a dramatic and aesthetic example that, to my mind, stands out. Note that it appears to be very mildly buffed (lightly polished) from excavating it from the surrounding massive talc matrix, otherwise it would be priced much higher. Nevertheless, a fine and large example!