Calcite variety Phantom

Dr Joseph Clemente purchased this magnificent multicoloured Phantom Calcite in 1968 and what a specimen it is!  From the Santa Eulalia District of Chihuahua in Mexico, a 14.0 x 9.8 cm bed of intergrown Calcite rhombic and scalenohedral crystals of between 2 and 4 cm tall form a patchwork quilt of intermixed crystal habits and colours.  It is really quite extraordinary and, in a pleasing way, confuses the eye, for as I look to describe it, its is hard to concentrate on any given spot as either the colour or habit quickly distract the eye.  The rhombic crystals are shades of orange, golden-yellow, pale lemon and burnt apricot, all in a confusion of zoned and patchy splodges!  Then, from these seemingly epitaxially aligned peaks emerge scalenohedral Calcites which grade from pale amethystine-purple bases to milky-light grey pointed terminations.  The more you study this, the more amazing it is!