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This miniature-sized specimen is dominated by a very large and laterally elongated pyramidal Hercynite crystal. This iron-aluminium Spinel Group mineral usually occurs in relatively small crystals but this crystal comes from a remarkable discovery at La Piana Alp in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy, where exceptionally large crystals have been found. This crystal reaches an impressive 3.8 cm in length and although it is not as shiny and reflective as smaller crystals from elsewhere, it is the sheer scale which makes this impressive. Technically, an octahedron, the rear of the crystal is present, but not as perfect as the front display surfaces. It is from the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).
40 x 54 x 27 mm