Calcite Butterfly Twin

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The vast majority of fine English "butterfly twin" or "heart twin" specimens are not on matrix - which makes this gem of a specimen that much rarer. And it is a gem, totally clean and bright, like a jewel! There is a limpid, exquisite, colorless twin perched alongside another single crystal. The twin measures 4 cm in length and is highly modified with a rare type of "butterfly" twinning; and is just flawless. Ex John Graves (a Frizington mineral dealer of prominence in the mid to late 1800s) and Ex. Harry Gordon collections. Interestingly the Harry Gordon collection is actually the collection of the Reverend John Gordon (1849-1922) who bequeathed it to the Aberdeen Museum in honor of and under his grandfathers name. Exchanged out in 1989, this quickly ended up in the Ralph Sutcliffe collection. This is a world class specimen, without any doubt, from any locale. But the history and rarity in context, add another dimension to this superb specimen, which was highly valued by Lindsay as well. Notably the very old, circa-1850 John Graves label survives - and is shown, with the specimen, illustrated on page 122 of the Minerals of Northern England book.