Detailed information
Species
Smithsonite, Fluorite
Dimensions
40 x 80 x 36
mm
Weight
148 g
Locality
Sheshodonnell East Mine Carron, The Burren Co. Clare, Ireland
Condition
No recorded repairs
Classic, bright canary yellow Smithsonite from Sheshodonnell East mine on crystalline purple-grey Fluorite. What is interesting about this specimen is when it was collected. It is accompanied by a Hugh A. Ford dealer label with his address at 110 Wall Street, New York dating it to 1946-1957. From Ford, it appears to have passed to Harry Caral, and then to R. Hauck who sold it in 1983. I was always under the impression that this material came out of Sheshodonnell East mine during the 1980s or 1990s, but it was obviously much earlier and in researching this it appears that Arthur [later Sir] Russell collected Smithsonite there in 1939. This rich small cabinet specimen displays the yellow botryoidal Smithsonite coating angular pieces of Fluorite in the classic association. Some of the Smithsonite is really intensely yellow, but other areas are naturally slightly etched, producing a paler yellow colour and matt finish. It is, nevertheless, a very rich Smithsonite from this classic Irish occurrence.