Fine Minerals From China to Shimmer in Spotlight at Heritage Auctions

A spectacular Fluorite from Chifeng City, China, could bring $100,000 or more in Heritage Auctions’ Treasures of China Fine Minerals Auction on 2nd September 2021. This impressive Sale features 133 carefully chosen minerals from China. The collection is among the finest selections of minerals from China ever offered at auction.

“This Fluorite is impressive in aesthetics and in size – it measures more than five inches across – and has a remarkable red-pink hue, with better translucency than can be found in most other sizable pieces,” Heritage Auctions Nature & Science Director Craig Kissick said. “It is an exceptional example, befitting of its spot in this extraordinary selection of minerals from China, which is as impressive as any ever offered at auction,”

• This extraordinary specimen hails from the world-famous pocket of Pink Fluorite found in August 2018, and is one of the larger examples of the quality material featuring both excellent shape and rich coloration. The singular offering was purchased in China by the consignor and is essentially free of any visible damage. Such larger octahedral examples came out of the mine only once during the time it was producing, making it the only pocket since the early 2000s containing such material, and no others are known to exist. The size, color and form of this combine to result in a truly spectacular mineral of unparalleled quality. This is an extremely nice and highly significant offering standing as a top specimen in this assortment and in terms of Fluorites from China overall.
• A Stibnite from the Wuning Mine (Wuling Mine; Qingjiang Mine) is a world-class specimen with roughly 15 primary crystals and a host of smaller ones radiating from a common point. With a pre-auction estimate of $50,000+, this spectacular piece originally was sold by Daniel Trinchillo, who controlled and marketed the find with the piece initially going to collector Keith Proctor then ending up in the Hoppel Collection, where it was acquired for The Robert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn Fine Mineral Collection. The majestic “spray” of striated, elongated crystals represents a consummate collector specimen with a rare combination of quality, condition, size, luster and balance. This is an extraordinary example of the iconic Chinese mineral from a classic locality for the type, which is still considered to be the best pocket for the species ever discovered for collector-grade material.

• A museum-quality Green Fluorite on base (Estimate: $50,000+), from the private, personal collection of mineral dealer Robert Lavinsky, is massive, measuring 11 inches (28 centimeters) in length. The classic “Coke bottle” specimen from the Xianghuapu Mine is water-clear with numerous, extremely well-formed, crystals and superb visual aesthetics. This extraordinary example boasts unbelievable clarity of the considerable cubes that cover this highly dimensional offering.
• An Azurite from the Liufengshan Mine in the Guichi District is a majestic specimen from the most famous larger find of Azurite in China. The giant nodular form offers an open cavity, revealing an abundance of dark blue crystals of the fine Copper mineral. Not surprisingly, this outstanding specimen, which is just over 8-1/4 inches (21 centimeters) long, also was featured in a 2013 exhibit at the University of Arizona showcasing the “Crystalline Treasures of China,” which opened during the famed Tucson Gem & Mineral Show that year. Presented on a custom engraved acrylic base, this colossal museum-quality Azurite is bordered by both light and dark Malachite in a classic association. The exterior is complex but also rather exquisite with a brilliant cavity of dark Azurite crystals, as well as a large section of gorgeous minty Malachite.

• An extraordinary example of Crystallized Gold from the Ganzhizhou Mine in the Meigu County also was part of the “Crystalline Treasures of China” exhibit at the University of Arizona in 2013 that opened in conjunction with the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. The 149-gram example (Estimate: $40,000+), which measures nearly 3.7 inches (9.37 centimeters), exhibits a rich golden-yellow coloration and is notable for its extending phalange, as well as the white Quartz and minor matrix near the base.
• From a famous pocket from 2019, a Pink Fluorite & Quartz (Estimate: $30,000+) features multiple sharp pink Fluorite crystals, amid a “grassy field” of Quartz points with Hedenbergite, resulting in the unique grayish-green color of the secondary mineralization on this huge plate. Such examples are often highly valued, especially in China, which is no surprise given the association of those two minerals. The biological covering punctuated with the enormous crystal clusters is truly sublime, and both serious magnitude and unusual appearance give this an irresistible attraction.

• A Fluorite with Quartz (estimate: $25,000+), from the Xiefang Mine, Ruijin Co. and the Ex. Zhang Jun Collection exhibits levels of “sparkle” and geometry on the contrasting white Quartz matrix that only came out once, likely around 2014-15. This large cabinet mineral offers a most dramatic visual impact as the highly translucent crystals, which are undamaged, exhibit intense and dynamic texture and an unbelievable lime green coloration. This particular specimen was expertly trimmed to result in an ideal collector example. The saturated hue is far superior to the typical dull green exhibited by most other material from the location. This extraordinary specimen is offered from the collection of Zhang Jun, who also is the owner of the famous private Foo Young Museum of Mineral in Xi’An City.
• An exceptional specimen of Native Silver from the Hongda Mine, Xiaoqinggou Ag-Mn deposit (Estimate: $25,000+) once was owned by legendary collector Gene Meieran, who specialized in Silvers, and also by Robert Lavinsky, who is known for specializing in Chinese minerals. This dramatic example features multi-toned wires which extend upward from an intensely complex base resulting in superb aesthetic qualities.
• A bushy Pyromorphite from the Daoping Mine (Tangping Mine) (Estimate: $25,000+) is a magnificent sample that came out of the Daopoing Mine in 2003. It represents the only pocket that features “Les Farges green color” in homage to the French material it resembles. This example is substantial in both size – it measures just over 5.8 inches in length – and in aesthetic appeal.

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