Calcite on Amethyst

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This is one of the most immediately recognizable and classic of early market Chinese mineral finds. These dramatic combination pieces of calcite draping amethyst came out of the Fengjiashan Mine when they sunk a new deep level, sometime around 2002-2003 as best as I can tell (and I have been down in the mine, at around the 300 meter level where these came out, and gotten to see the empty pockets they came from!). The mineral pockets form at the edges of huge seams of massive wollastonite, which is what they actually are mining here. They are so unique, so beautiful, that I tend to buy every one that comes to market now - which is about once every 5 years if that. You will only see these in the books, now, sad to say. There were never very many with very good color, although quite a few had pale amethystine quartz. This has a pleasing balance. It looks like nothing else so much as a cute cartoon animal wearing a spiky fur parka. They are simply unique. This one has been hiding in the collection of Sean Lincoln since nearly when it came out, and is now released for sale. For lack of a better word, it is simply "adorable."