Erythrite

Unknown Owner

This is a very rich, dense cluster of thick crystals of erythrite, a rare cobalt species. The crystals exceed 1 cm, and are very robustly organized as they splay out from a central core for dramatic effect. It is uncommon to have such a large frontal display area of crystals shooting out, as most clusters are on flat plates, or point different directions but haphazardly so, whereas this looks so much more patterned. This is a superb miniature example from the Paul Stahl collection, and likely from Francois Lietard in the 1990s (knowing Paul, and with having such unusual style, that is my guess when he bought it).