Rhodonite with Franklinite

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The Franklin Mining District is renowned for fine crystallized Rhodonite specimens, but despite having good crystals the colour is usually a pale pastel pink shade. Not this specimen. Here, the Rhodonite is a vibrant bubble-gum pink. Weighing in at a hefty 700 grams, this cabinet specimen would make a prominent and showy addition to any Franklin suite. The Rhodonite crystals reach about 1.5 cm on edge with the two main display crystals in great condition showing a typical rounded form to the edges of the tabular/platy crystals. Many other large crystals around the edge are fragmentary, but display the lovely pink colour internally with a fine greasy lustre. Much of the base of the specimen is black Franklinite and rounded Franklinite crystals protrude through the white Calcite which surrounds the Rhodonite too. A really fine display of Rhodonite crystals from an American classic locale. Two old collection labels relating to this specimen show that it was formerly in the collection of Arthur von Gwinner (born 1856) who was head of Deutsche Bank in 1893, and that it was sold by Dr. F. Krantz as Calcium-Rhodonite - the variety Fowlerite.