FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Carles Millan]

Congratulations, Tobi. This is a hard-to-find scheelite from Xuebaoding. With about 20 well-defined crystals that seem undamaged, and aesthetically placed, I've never had the chance of purchasing one alike. Furthermore, as you may know, that deposit has been closed for many years, and new specimens are now very expensive and scarce on the market.

[Volkmar Stingl]

Congratulation, Tobi! I remember, some years ago you asked me for one, but such quality I never could offer! Wonderful piece!

Volkmar

[Tobi]

Thank you for your kind words and your appreciation of this wonderful scheelite specimen, Carles and Volkmar (and Michael, who commented on this in his own thread where he presented a beryl specimen from the same locality).

I was quite surprised to find such a piece that I can afford. As you already said, good scheelites from Mt. Xuebaoding have become scarce and more and more expensive. I've been searching for years for a specimen that I like AND that I can afford. Sure, my priorities were different during the last years, lots of quartz and fluorite, some major galena pieces, a few nice rhodos and tourmalines, so there wasn't the big budget for a scheelite. But whenever I began to search for one, I found only specimens that were too ugly and/or too expensive for me.

So, it was a very lucky chance that some days ago a German dealer I know had this piece, it came out of another private collection and the previous owner demanded a very fair price compared to what you see on the market. We don't talk about prices here, but I think it's ok to mention that it was a mid-range three-digit price. And when you look at the piece and consider Carles' precise and correct description ("with about 20 well-defined crystals that seem undamaged, and aesthetically placed"), this is a chance you don't get often.

Best regards from a lucky collector
Tobi

[Tobi]

This new specimen might be something different and far away from what makes an aesthetic mineral for most of us. Nonetheless these pieces with beautiful "paintings" of tree-like manganese oxides are quite famous. But the locality isn't famous for minerals (which would be strange for a place that produces "only" some manganese and iron dendrites).
Solnhofen in central southern Germany is known as a locality for a lot of important Jurassic fossils including the famous archaeopteryx which was first discovered here in 1860. This discovery and many others (dinosaurs, insects, fishes and a lot more) made Solnhofen one of the major fossil deposits of the world.
Besides the many excellent fossils, many of the limestone layers in the Solnhofen quarries include black and brown dendrites which often are mistaken for fossils but are manganese and iron minerals. This is a rather nice example in good size and though it looks like someone has drawn them, these "trees" are completely natural. A fine piece of unimportant stuff from a very important place known for other stuff ;-)

[Carles Millan]

It is a real piece of Nature's art. But at the same time, believe it or not, they are MnO₂ (not idiomorphic) crystals, with some impurities. It is very impressive, even for non-mineral collectors.

[Tobi]

A lovely new addition to my collection:

Though I have a focus on German minerals and a special love for fluorite there's no fluorite from Saxony in my current collection. I had several fluorite specimens from Erzgebirge in the past, but all of them were rather mediocre pieces that I sold or traded at some point. But some weeks ago I got a new showcase especially dedicated to German minerals and I hoped to find a nice fluorite from Saxony. I'm really happy that it worked and that I could finally add a beautiful fluorite from the maybe most famous of all German mining areas. It is not easy to capture the piece on camera because the crystals are very lustrous, but I think these photos are quite ok and do the specimen justice.

I should mention that this is not an old piece but from a newer find from around 2016. But I love that shiny yellow fluorite. I mean, when you are into German minerals and into fluorite, you have no choice but to love a yellow fluorite from Erzgebirge ;-)

[Michael Shaw]

Congratulations on a beautiful fluorite Tobi. Color and luster are wonderful. Maybe you can show us a picture of your new showcase dedicated to German Minerals?

[Carles Millan]

Very nice fluorite, Tobi. I like it. A good addition to your already fantastic collection. Congratulations!

[Tobi]

Thank you, Michael and Carles, I'm glad you like my new fluorite, I love it too :-)

[James Catmur]

Wonderful addition Tobi

[Tobi]

Thank you, James. This piece is for sure a wonderful addition, especially now after installing my third collection showcase only for German minerals. Such a juicy fluorite eyecandy from the Erzgebirge enhances the value and the beauty of this small but quite good selection of specimens from my mineral-rich home country.
Photos will follow ... I have not forgotten it, Michael ;-)

[Tobi]

[Tobi]

Part 2, closer photos of some specimens:

[Michael Shaw]

[Carles Millan]

What beautiful showcases and room decorations. I'm full of envy. You and your family must be proud of them. And they're only the German specimens.
Congratulations!