Rutile (Var: Sagenite (Of Saussure)), Clinochlore

Unknown Owner

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Sagenite is a variety of intricately reticulated red rutile named in 1796 by Saussure. "These small crystals usually cross at the same angles, so as to form a mesh-like network of parallelograms." A beautiful and bright, 2.0 cm, golden-brown meshwork of sagenite rests aesthetically and horizontally at the tip of a 3-dimensional, mounded matrix RICHLY covered with clusters of sharp, black, tabular clinochlore crystals and a scattering of very long rutile needles. The contacted areas of the matrix reveal the lustrous interiors of the black clinochlore crystals, which is a variety of chlorite. This showy piece was in the collection of Rolf Wein, a noted Alpine collector. He purchased this fine Austrian piece, from a classic locality, in 1971.