Fiery red/orange, gemmy 1cm Chondrodite on matrix with oriented Magnetite crystals. Collected by J.P. Gliddon and considered by him to be one of the finest Chondrodites to ever be found a Palabora. The color and luster of the Chondrodite is superb (no brown overtones like so many Chondrodites), and the lustrous, triangular faces of the Magnetite, all in parallel growth, create a great effect.

Single Amethyst crystal, complete and good sized. I love the combination of the purple Amethyst at the base and the white/clear Quartz at the top.

Cluster of dark blue Azurite crystals which are translucent along the edges when backlit. Complete all around and undamaged (except for one tiny 2mm ding) with alteration to Malachite in areas around the base. Excellent luster on the Azurite. Looks like Tsumeb, but it's Toussit.

Light blue green (likely cuprian) Dolomite casts upon which grew white lenticular Dolomite crystals and acicular sprays of Malachite. A very 3-dimensional, floater specimen that is much better when held and turned in the hand.

Killer thumbnail Tanzanite, highly gemmy from top to bottom. Distinct green and blue color zoning in one direction with purple when viewed on the other faces, and red when viewed up the C-axis - four colors in one crystal! Illustrated in the Merelani issue of the Mineralogical Record, Figure 110, page 396, even better in person.

Fine, icey blue Tanzanite of exceptional quality. This crystal has top luster and great presence with superb transparency top to bottom, way better than the norm, witht he vast majority of Tanzanites being heavily fractured on the lower half and only transparent on the upper half. Good red up the C-axis too.

Gemmy, prismatic green Apophyllite crystals associated with a pearly white 2cm Stilbite cluster. Apophyllite is fairly common, but the greens much less so, and when they come together in attractive clusters like this they are truly 'flowers' of the mineral kingdom and a great addition to a fine collection.

Amazing double terminated Apophyllite crystal atop stalactitic quartz. The Apop is 4.9cm wide. I used to import hundreds of Indian minerals years ago, this was one of the very few that really stood out and was kept in my collection.

Highly translucent 1.8cm crystal in matrix, in fact I would call it gemmy. Most Afghanites don't excite me as they can be whitish blue, opaque, and crudely formed, but not this one. A well formed crystal, sharper than most, that begs to be trimmed into a superb thumbnail specimen.

A most unusual faden Quartz specimen that looks like a stack of double terminated Quartz crystals that slumped over to one side, with the faden line curved along with the crystals. Perfect and undamaged.

Gem quality single Aqua crystal I bought at the Tucson show around 1990. Aside from being a high quality gem crystal, it has the added appeal of having a number of unusual negative crystals included within that appear to be octahedral in shape.

Sharply formed Peridot crystal, which is not the norm for these as they ususally have a melted appearance with rounded edges. Gemmy with top lime green color without a hint of the usual olive tones. Additional smaller crystal in front too.

Superb 1.1 cm Cinnabar crystal set in lustrous white Dolomite. Translucent when backlit, undamaged.

Pair of interconnected, large Realgar crystals, the smaller crystal is double terminated.

Floater rosette of Pyrhottite, the best of a small lot purchased about 10 years ago.  These are not as well known as other minerals from Yaogangxian and are excellent specimens and a must for a Yaogangxian suite. Undamaged and pristine.