Grossular Garnet

Unknown Owner

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Garnet from Washington state is one of those "holy grails" of collecting USA classics, but there are simply so few of any real value in a worldwide sense, compared to garnets from other locales. The best ones were said to have been collected by a team including Bart Cannon, back in the 1970s to early 1980s. This particular specimen was sold by Cannon in 1982 to collector Jack Halpern, who owned it for the following 34 years until exchanging it to me. It is simply stunning, with a unique robust color and a glass luster that these are famous for. However, I had never seen such quality of color AND luster in a specimen of this large size, before. Never cleaned or trimmed to modern standards, I have only gotten it back recently after a year in the lab. It is now balanced, and presents an aesthetic horizon and a good 3-dimensionality. Some minor damage (contact on the right side and top rear, and damage in the lower-center portion) is present, as on all of these, but is acceptable in context to me given the size, age of the piece, and importance in the context of USA minerals. This is a significant USA garnet specimen, with a context and provenance that makes it truly important as a specimen. Funny enough, in Jack's label archives was a note that his friend, Ed David, wanted the piece badly if ever sold. Ed was a great collector known for his taste, and his three collections had worldwide importance over 50 years of collecting. Ed, however, has since sold his 2nd collection to me and donated the final and third collection he assembled, to the University of Arizona. Price on Request. Comes with a custom lucite base. Joe Budd photos.