Epidote (circa mid-1800s)

Unknown Owner

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This amazing historical rarity is a fine, lustrous cluster of epidote from the classic European location of “Dauphine” - which actually refers to the region of mines near Isere in modern day Grenoble. Actually, this is the TYPE LOCALITY - the first described locality for the species. According to Mindat.org, it was named in 1801 by Rene Just Haüy from the Greek "epidosis" (meaning “increase”) in allusion to the crystal characteristic of one longer side at the base of the prism. This is a fine, aesthetic miniature that meets modern standards of quality, which is almost unheard of for specimens from 200 years ago. From the collection of Ralph Sutcliffe, well known for picking up old previous collections in England from the academies and monasteries there. His label notes that it is from the collection of Hodder Westropp (mid-1800s) of Cumbria. It looks like it later was sold through the famous dealer Bryce Wright, a legendary supplier of fine English minerals to museums and collectors in the mid to late 1800s. His rarely preserved label remains here — dating from 1866-1874 by its address and style, and comparing to known and dated examples we have seen elsewhere. It was last in the collection of classics and miniatures of Tim Sherburn of San Diego.