Detailed information
Dimensions
85 x 55 x 40
mm
Locality
Baia de Arieş (Offenbánya) Alba County Romania
Condition
No recorded repairs
The rare silver gold telluride species Sylvanite was discovered in the 1830s and named after the [Trans]Sylanian area of Romania where the discovery was made. The Type Locality is Baia de Arieş (Offenbánya) and those early crystallized specimens remain the pinnacle of quality for the species. This small cabinet-sized display specimen from Baia de Arieş is one of the finest demonstrations of its classic crystal form that you are likely to see, perfectly presenting the 'graphic' net-like growths of flat-lying bright silvery bladed crystals of Sylvanite criss-crossing a finely crystallized white drusy Quartz matrix. The bladed crystals of Sylvanite reach up to 1.7 cm in length and although, as is typical, these crystals are sandwiched within what was a very thin cavity, many crystals show terminations into small cavities within the Quartz veinlet. This is an exceptionally rich coverage of very large Sylvanite crystals from this classic Eastern European locality, and with unusually fresh and bright crystals sat on a broad surface perfect for display it makes this an important museum quality specimen. It most likely dates to the 19th century. Ex Simone and Peter Huber Collection, no. 1601, acquired by them in 1989.
