TWO BRILLIANT FLUORESCING WILLEMITE WITH CALCITE SPECIMENS. ...

Description

TWO BRILLIANT FLUORESCING WILLEMITE WITH CALCITE SPECIMENS
Sterling Hill Mine and Franklin area, Sussex Co., New Jersey
Willemite and Calcite are two of the most brilliant shortwave ultraviolet fluorescing minerals available to collectors. These two specimens are each amongst the brightest examples of this association of vivid green Willemite and fiery red-orange Calcite. In general, the two most vibrantly fluorescing colors for Willemite are a subdued green and white under daylight conditions, both represented here: the so-called "White Willemite" specimen (on the left) included in this Lot actually has coloring that ranges from white to pale gray and pale tan, profusely speckled with Franklinite and Calcite, indistinguishable under daylight. Measuring 5½ x 3 x 1 ¾ inches (14 x 7.6 x 4.4 cm), from the famed Sterling Hill mine, it is a large exposed Willemite face, with a thinner vein running parallel length-wise, and displays a spectacular patterning of vivid red, green and black under shortwave ultraviolet. The second specimen (on the right) is the far scarcer daylight apple green Willemite variety, in a large mass covering most of the top of the 4 x 3 x 1½-inch (10 x 7.6 x 3.8 cm) roughly triangular specimen. It also emerges on the reverse, amongst a mass of small, rough, granular Franklinite crystals in a matrix of Calcite. A dramatic, pencil point-thin veinlet bisects the piece, partly composed of Willemite although less vivid when compared to the brilliance of the main mass. A true classic, coming from Franklin New Jersey. Offered at no reserve.

Provenance: ex. Hugh Ronemus Collection.

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