SC-70 Cerussite on Dioptase
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Erik Louw Collection
Miniature, 5 x 3.5 x 3.5 cm
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John Schneider Photo
Since many years ago when I first walked into their basement and saw the collection, I have lusted after this piece. It is a simply gorgeous association, featuring a dark smoky , gemmy cerussite crystal perched in a nest of dioptase! Pristine save for one tiny, almost-unnoticeable ding, this was one of my favorite mini's in the collection. Erik Louw was a miner on the dioptase stope who traded extensively and accumulated one of the finest Tsumeb miniatures collections, purchased in entirety by the Sussmans in the late 1990's.
SC-183 Cerussite on Duftite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Small Cabinet, 9 x 4.5 x 2.5 cm
A gorgeous specimen, unique in aesthetics to my knowledge. This came from a pocket of duftite-associated cerussite found in the early 1980's, where all other cerussite specimens I know of from the find consist of gray-colored, squat, equant, almost-spherical clusters of reticulated cerussite laying flat on duftite-coated matrix. THIS specimen, however, has a single incredibly gemmy and transparent/clear , almost freely-floating cerussite, perched off one edge of duftite-coated rock. It went straight from the Lange collection, which they purchased in Africa, into the Sussman collection in 1996.
SC-181 Cerussite (reticulated) on matrix
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Erik Louw Collection
Miniature, 5.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm
Complete, reticulated ceru's on matrix are extremely hard to obtain in anything like this quality. This competition-level miniature was in fact my favorite such specimen in the Sussman collection for many years. It has lustre, gemminess, aesthetics, and a unique smoky color that really makes it stand out. It is complete all around and perched on just the right amount of matrix to have a natural base...all in all a world class cerussite AND a world-class miniature! Erik Louw was a miner on the dioptase stope who traded extensively and accumulated one of the finest Tsumeb miniatures collections, purchased in entirety by the Sussmans in the late 1990's.
SC-179 Cerussite on matrix (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Mark Stumpy Rattay Collection
Miniature, 3 x 3 x 2.5 cm
WOW! ...One of the finest ceru miniatures I have ever seen from anywhere, with a SHARP and GEMMY smoky-colored v-twin on matrix for gods sake! You just never see aesthetics like this, combined with such perfection! Ceru's are generally too fragile or get dinged over the years but this one is sharp as the day it was mined. It is perched with just its front tip sticking off a small natural pedestal and is propped upright by a smaller cerussite underneath. It has long been one of my favorites in the Sussman collection, and is just perfect for anybody who collects miniatures or ceru's in general.
SC-180 Cerussite (twinned) on Mottramite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Credo Schwab Collection
Large Thumbnail, 3 x 2.75 x 2.5 cm
An aesthetic specimen with a single fat, twinned cerussite crystal perched on a matrix of very dark green, sparkling mottramite. The cerussite is complete all around and unusually ball-like in form.
SC-182 Cerussite on Smithsonite
Tsumeb, Namibia
Cabinet, 15 x 9 x 5 cm
This unique specimen features a MATRIX cluster of reticulated cerussite measuring 8 x 7 x 3 cm , perched against a knoll of sharp rhombohedral smithsonite crystals! The smithsonite has a rich color to it (cadmian?), and the cerussite has a slightly amber/red tint, making this an unusually colorful cerussite specimen. The cluster of cerussite crystals is undamaged save at the bottom periphery where it was contacted, facing down. I bought this out of an old collection (it was purchased in the 1970's during Tsumeb's heyday) a few years ago and, after some risky trimming that I'm pretty darn proud of pulling off, sold it to the Sussmans. It remains unique to my knowledge for a reticulated cerussite of this quality on matrix.
SC-67 Cerussite on Mimetite "Mountain" (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
Cabinet, 14 x 9 x 12 cm
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John Schneider Photo
A gorgeous, sparkling, 360-degree mountain of intermixed brilliant yellow mimetite needles and sparkling gem reticulated cerussite crystals, on rock matrix that is completely coavered by the blanket of sparkle. Amazing, showy specimen that is remarkably near-pristine.
SC-61 Cerussite (SOLD)
Tsumeb, Namibia
ex. Erik Louw Collection
Small Cabinet, 7.5 x 5 x 4 cm
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John Schneider Photo
A "famous" piece from the collection, called "the starburst", this was one of the most treasured cerussites in the lot. It is remarkably pristine and complete all around, standing upright on that small rock pedestal via a single extending point of the perfect twinned crystal. Erik Louw was a miner on the dioptase stope who traded extensively and accumulated one of the finest Tsumeb miniatures collections, purchased in entirety by the Sussmans in the late 1990's.
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The
Arkenstone - Dr. Robert Lavinsky
PO Box 450788
Garland, TX 75045-0788
Phone 972-414-9003 "normal hours" Central Time Zone, E-Fax 413-581-0589 |
