Updated 4d ago
9
Baryte on Dolomite$3,500.00
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This is a very interesting specimen and you might question whether its provenance is correct, and for good reason. Labelled on the specimen as from "Alston Moore" one might think that the association of pale blue-grey tabular/bladed Baryte upon cream coloured Dolomite is more typical of the West Cumbrian iron mines. This is correct, but why has this not been corrected? Well, there were many mineral dealers based in the town of Alston during Victorian times (mid-1800s to early 1900s) and many instances of West Cumbrian minerals being sold in Alston either as from "Alston Moor", or simply unprovenanced, with the purchasers labelling them as from 'Alston' because that was where they were acquired. This specimen passed to Germany, where it was labelled as "Alston Moore, Cumberland", the former spelling being a very early one for the area. By changing the provenance of this specimen the correct information would be presented, but this lovely cultural story of how the specimen was incorrectly provenanced in the first place would be lost. The specimen is, itself, in very good condition, displaying a 6.7 cm long doubly-terminated bladed Baryte crystal, or series of intergrown parallel crystals nicely perched upon a thin plate of Dolomite with tiny microcrystals of Specular Hematite absolutely typical of West Cumbria. There is minor chipping to one Baryte crystal tip, but overall this is in fine condition for its age. A fascinating historical specimen.
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