Hessite on Quartz

$16,500.00

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T

The ArkenstoneFeatured

3,403 for sale·Member since 2026

Hessite is a very rare silver telluride that occurs at its best ONLY from this old classic European locality. Specimens from here are extremely difficult to obtain today and the few I have ever obtained sell quickly. The Hessite cluster on this piece measures approximately 3 x 2 cm which is rather large and impressive. There is a large, platy, lead-gray, 1.5 cm crystal (that is very important and dramatic) has dozens of smaller, 3 mm to 1 cm crystals growing around its periphery. Note there are several crystal habits, here. The Hessite cluster is perched on a sparkly druse 1 to 3 mm Quartz crystals, some small areas show slight iron staining indicating the piece retains its original patina, uncleaned by any acids or chemicals to brighten the Hessite or remove the oxidation on the Quartz. I love the patina and historic look of the piece, as it retains the look of a significant ancient specimen because it is not cleaned to an inch of its life like some are. This is a truly significant example, that probably came out in the early 1800s to mid 1800s at latest, and has remarkably survived. It has sparkle, with the quartz association, that few specimens can claim, making it a bit more aesthetic by modern terms than the typical hessite-only freestanding clusters we see.