Calcite (Butterfly Twin)

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A true old classic - a transparent to translucent colorless twin crystal from THE classic old European locality for gemmy calcite crystals. This has stunning luster and clarity. It is nearly perfectly formed, save for a damage/contact on one tip which detracts from the price admittedly. Only seen on close examination but cannot be seen from a distance. Calcite of various forms came from England in the 1800s, but twins with the shapes of hearts and butterflies were particularly desired - and few thumbnails were found or kept at that time. This is a butterfly twin habit, one of the true treasures of the English mineral classics of the 1800s, which came out of several mines in the Egremont mining area in the mid-1800s (particularly in the 1860s). Dealer Richard Talling priced them like gold and received complaints from his many wealthy customers about the pricing at the time - see old ads as noted in the book, The Sparry Garniture. Ex. Tim Sherburn English thumbnail suite (he purchased it from Cal Graeber in 2000).