Acanthite

Unknown Owner

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An exceptional specimen of acanthite showing unusually robust and 3-dimensional form combined with subtle details and elegance that make it stand out from most other thumbnail sized examples. In person, it has a jet black color under normal lighting, but as shown in the photography studio lighting is more metallic. While thumbnail specimens of this mineral are common enough, this really is exceptional at a level hard to convey until you hold in person and see the impact. It has an old history to it! From: Brad Van Scriver (Van Scriver Minerals, Garden Grove, California), February 1983, with label, to Russell E. Behnke (Meriden, Connecticut) with his business card hosting a handwritten note on back side that states: “Via Jack Young & his employee Blaas about mid-1970s to Beth Gordon.” He sold it to Brad for $1,500 in the 1980s, and Brad sold it on to Alex in the 1990s. Beth was one of the major collectors specializing in thumbnails in the Southern California region, at the time, and her collection was legendary even then. She was also Brad's mother, by strange coincidence in this history - and one wonders whether he bought it with that sentiment in mind! Exhibited: One of the 35 displayed specimens that won the 2010 Paul Desautel Trophy for Best Mineral Case in Competition at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. (#018272). Illustrated: The Mineralogical Record, 2016; 47(5): 536. Illustrated: The Mineralogical Record, Arizona Mineral Collections, 2020; 51(1): 153. Also photographed in Figure 24 of The Mineralogical Record, 2010, 41(3), p. 291. Recently featured in the book, Refined Elegance (Mineralogical Record, Nov. 2022) on page 117 (where the color does look more black). Laszlo Kupi photo.