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RL-7188 Mimetite partially replacing Cerussite
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. E.M. Gunnell Pseudomorph Collection
Miniature, 5.5 x 4 x 3.5 cm

A superb miniature consisting of mimetite that has coated and partially replaced a cluster of finely-twinned cerussite crystals. It has no damage and is complete all around! A previous deaccession sold earlier, but recently traded back and so included here again.




SC-53 Rosasite ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Dave Wilber, George Holloway collections
Miniature, 5 x 4 x 4 cm

John Schneider photo

A stellar, colorful cluster of extraordinarily sharp crystals of this double-pseudomorph. Normally, such specimens consist of somewhat lumpier crystals due to the repeated pseudomorphism. This one, however, has MATRIX-bound crystals retaining the sharp form of the original azurite. The sparkles you see are brilliant reticulated cerussite twins, sprinkled all over the specimen, and much brighter in person. Note that the leftmost crystal as shown is actually still malachite, while the others are completely or mostly replaced by the rosasite. Where malachite does show, its deep green chatoyance is in stark contrast to the smooth sea-blue rosasite. The specimen originated with collector Dave Wilber, who sold it to George Holloway in the early 1970's. It then ended up in a small private collection in San Diego, which was "lost" after the owner's death and resurfaced only in the mid-90's through heirs. I sold this specimen to Marshall and Charlotte at the time and it has never been publicly offered for sale. It is a highly 3-dimensional piece, extremely aesthetic and complete all around.




SC-134 Rosasite ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Miniature, 5 x 4 x 3 cm

John Schneider photo

A single extraordinarily sharp crystal of this classic double-pseudomorph. Normally, such specimens consist of somewhat lumpier crystals due to the repeated pseudomorphism. This one, however, is the sharpest I have personally seen, and the same goes for the Sussmans. It is complete all around and looks as if it is coated with velvet, because the rosasite is so finely grained. From underneath, you can see some remaining malachite is present internally (in concentric bands).




SC-215 Calcite ps. after Tarnowitzite
Tsumeb, Namibia
Small Cabinet, 7 x 7 x 7 cm
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This specimen is completely crystallized 360-degrees all around and is a stunning example of this replacement, with calcite having completely replaced large, elongated tarnowitzite crystals! The only really great example of this material that I have seen, and in the Sussman collection for many years.




SC-7 Cobaltian Dolomite ps. after Tarnowitzite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Miniature, 4 x 3.75 x 3.25 cm

John Schneider photo

An amazing pseudomorph and a very unusual Tsumeb specimen, from a small pocket which produced few specimens of such calibre. This is one of the best such pieces known (one other also being in the Sussman collections). It is complete 360-degrees and undamaged all around! The color is a bright pink, and it has a sparkly lustre to it. I almost kept this one but it just ain't calcite...close as a carbonate can be, though!




SC-214 Cobaltian Dolomite ps. after Tarnowitzite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Miniature, 4 x 3.5 x 3 cm

An amazing pseudomorph and a very unusual Tsumeb specimen, from a small pocket which produced few specimens of such calibre. This is one of the best such pieces known (one other also being in the Sussman collections). It is complete 360-degrees and undamaged all around! The color is a bright pink, and it has a sparkly lustre to it. I almost kept this one but it just ain't calcite...close as a carbonate can be, though!




SC-213 Mimetite ps. after Cerussite
Tsumeb, Namibia
Small Cabinet, 7 x 6 x 3.5 cm
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A very rare specimen from Tsumeb, in this quality! All I have seen seem to have come from the same pocket as they are identical in overall style if not so good as this one which is one of the best I have seen . This complete-all-around specimen has no damage and consists of mimetite in the process of covering and replacing a previous cluster of reticulated cerussite (it still retains a core of unchanged cerussite). It is, unusually, a fine display specimen for such a pseudomorph! It is complete all around, 360 degrees.




SC-212 Bayldonite ps. After Mimetite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex.Hoppenz Collection, Humboldt Museum/University of Berlin
ex. Dr. Georg Gebhard Collection
Cabinet, 13 x 8 x 6 cm
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This is a solid specimen composed of bayldonite pseudomorphs after mimetite on a matrix of bayldonite, anglesite, etc. It is a world-class Tsumeb specimen of surpassing display quality for such a rarity and is one of the top such specimens known to exist (whether in museums or out). This came from one of Europe's old museums in a trade to Dr. Gebhard and was traded (not sold) some years ago by him as a personal favor to the Sussmans, in whose collection it has resided until this year. The specimen likely dates to the oldest explorations of the upper oxidized zone at Tsumeb based on when others of similar sort came out. To get a CABINET-sized specimen of this rare replacement is simply unheard of, and I have only ever seen just a few thumbnails for sale in the past. The bayldonite is associated with dark-blue linarite and a lighter-blue mineral that is probably rosasite. Overall, an attractive specimen (with a bit more luster in person than it appears from the photos), and one that would be a major addition to any Tsumeb suite as it was to this one.




SC-93 Bayldonite ps. After Mimetite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Dr. Georg Gebhard Collection
Miniature, 5 x 4 x 3.5 cm
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A superb display miniature of ANYTHING, let alone for this rare replacement! This is a complete-all-around, radiating spray of glistening, sparkly, grass-green bayldonite that has completely replaced a mimetite cluster. It dates from the first oxidation zone and is certainly of the same age as the above, 1890s-1910s at the latest. It is regarded as one of the finest examples of the type by many who have seen it in person, and was a treasured miniature in the collection.




SC-93 Mottramite ps. After Wulfenite on Plumbian Calcite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Ed Swoboda Pseudomorph Collection
Miniature, 5 x 4.5 x 3 cm
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WOW! This is the best example I have yet seen of the rare replacement of wulfenite by mottramite. Not only is the replacement complete and interesting, but the piece is actually attractive overall. The combination of the upright mottramite crystal arching up through a plumbian calcite rhomb is just surreal - you couldn't have asked it to be made more sharply. Note that the left corner of the wulfenite IS terminated, though it looks rough in the photo - in person you can see it was a natural, broad bevel in the original crystal. A few smaller crystals are attached to the back at that point (lower-right photo), and some of those are broken or simply not fully cast, but the large crystal is 100% there. The calcite is also fully terminated. Moreover, it was in the famed pseudomorph collection of Edward Swoboda, recognized to be the best such collection ever assembled in the US at least.




SC-51 Rosasite ps. after Azurite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Cabinet, 10 x 10 x 9 cm

John Schneider photo

This is regarded as one of the finest examples of the replacement by many who have seen it in person, and is considered to be a significant example for the species as well. The piece is pristine and free of damage, and it has a lustre like blue velvet, or rather a rich carpeting of blue velvety rosasite atop of rosasite pseudomorphs. The overall effect is striking! ex. Lange Collection 1996




SC-217 Tennantite ps. Azurite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Evan Jones Collection
Small Cabinet, 9.5 x 6 x 3 cm
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Like so many pseudomorphs in the collection, this is regarded as one of the finest examples of the replacement by many who have seen it in person. It concists of a radiating cluster of large, completely replaced crystals to 8.5 cm. The tennantite itself is solid, and is covered with microscopic green copper mineralization so it has more color than tennantite in general would be said to have. The piece is pristine and free of damage, and it is complete all around.




SC-80 Cuprian Smithsonite ps. after Azurite with Mimetite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Small Cabinet, 9 x 7 x 4 cm

John Schneider photo

In this case, the piece has also been said to be the best or one of the best two specimens known for this replacement. It consists of a pristine, glistening druse of light green smithsonite, that has completely cast over and then survived the original azurite. Complete all-around! ex. Jim Ferguson Collection, 2002




MS-147 Smithsonite pseudomorph after Tarnowitzite (SOLD)
Collected in 1929
Tsumeb, Namibia
Cabinet, 20 x 16 x 8 cm
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An amazing specimen preserved in pristine condition in collections in Germany, all this time since it was collected in 1929. It consists of sharp crystals of tarnowitzite to 6 inches (15cm) that have been completely replaced by smithsonite on which is another layer of sparkling, glistening white smithsonite! Thus, this is not only a significant pseudomorph specimen, but also a significant smithsonite piece in its own right, and a beautiful one at that! I had this unwieldy, too-large piece trimmed up in Denver before the show and picked them up while there for the show itself. It was provided to the Sussmans by Dr. Georg Gebhard.

Here we have the unquestionable core of the original specimen shown here, this monstrous piece is still rather large and preserves the major part of the original specimen, which was simply too big and unwieldy to be displayed properly. Now, the crystals (to 15 cm or 6 inches in length!) are in good balance with the piece as a whole, and the aesthetics have been improved enormously. I believe this specimen to be better, overall, than the original...though it is priced at far less than what the whole specimen was offered for when it first came out of Germany. All terminations are complete, and the piece has a real presence to it in person that makes it simply one of the most impressive pseudo's I've seen from Tsumeb. It is, some might say, color-challenged. However, I'd argue that the sparkly, bright white smithsonite makes it very showy indeed! In any case, it is a major and unique Tsumeb specimen. I should also add that the trim job, as you can see, is as good as it looks and those guys at Edge did an amazing job here (if time-consuming at a per hour price), that is well worth the price .






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PO Box 450788
Garland, TX 75045-0788
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