Sphalerite

Mineral specimens from the Pfingstwiese mine near to Bad Ems in the Lahn Valley, Germany are seldom seen nowadays, but this historic specimen from the Archduke Stephan Collection is a splendid Sphalerite associated with colourless to milky-white Quartz. The Sphalerite forms the core of the specimen around which the Quartz has been deposited, crystallising as sub-3 mm crystals.  On top of the Quartz, various sized Sphalerite crystals have developed, the largest measuring 3.0 x 1.5 x 0.6 cm. The Sphalerite is a dark, deep bronze-red with semi-chevroned-growth patterns and a bright metallic lustre.  Some Sphalerite crystals are slightly bruised due to the specimen’s age.
Ex. the Mineral Collection of Archduke Stephan Franz Viktor of Hungary (1817 to 1867), with a historic Archduke (Erzherzog) Stephan label incorporating his coat of arms.  This large label measures 8.9 x 7.1 cm and has been very lightly trimmed, losing just three sides of the outer ornate border.  All printed and hand written text is complete, including the catalogue number 509/52. A small Carl Rumpff label, dated 1889, is glued beneath the specimen.  It is understood these labels were trimmed by curators at the Museum of Natural History of the Humboldt University in Berlin, to fit within their specimen boxes, after being bequeathed by Carl Rumpff’s widow in late 1889.