Rhodochosite with Quartz

The Sweet Home Mine, in its heyday, produced so much material in the late 1990s that certain pockets were known and tracked by name; each major pocket had a different style. Those that had a more unique or recognizable style were considered to be, and still are, more collectible and valuable to most of us. The Hedgehog Pocket was one of these - known for the combination with stark porcelaneous white quartz accents among the rhodochrosite. However, most Hedgehog material was more quartz-heavy and less rhodochrosite-rich, so the value and aesthetics lay in finding the pieces with a better balance. This is one of the more heavily red examples, with rich mounded crystallization, culminating in that gorgeous, transparent crystal atop - nearly 2 cm across! Such freestanding crystals were also rare for this pocket, as most of them lay flat or jumbled. All in all, a very important example of a famous find, which is more aesthetic and red than most. We (John Veevaert and I at the time) purchased this from the miners and sold into a prominent European collection over 20 years ago when it was contemporary; it is an honor to have it back. Aside from the points above, the beauty is simply seen with its riveting strawberry color, it is perfect and complete all around.

Unknown Owner

Product details

Species

Quartz

SizeSmall Cabinet

Dimensions7.4 x 6.9 x 6.2 cm

Locality

USA, Colorado, Sweet Home Mine

Added on10/23/2024

Comments

Known provenance

2024/08