Although the mineral Creedite is common, excellent examples are not. This is a great example all around. It has a good orange color, matched with bright clear crystals. It is just the right size, and has a "well placed," ball in the center that makes it quite aesthetic. It's in fine condition, esp. since virtually all creedites are damaged (many occur on the ceiling of the mine and have to be pried loose with a pole and then hopefully caught as they fall (like spiked coconuts falling - yikes!). This one has a barely noticeable spot on the far left side where three or four small crystals are missing, which is nothing for a cluster of this size. 

Creedites are found in a highly mineralized clay (that affects their color), within a Breccia Pipe, that had injected hot solution that later crystallized as Creedite. Mining these is fraught with danger, as cave-ins are quite common, and have finished recent production (according to Mike New).

BARITE1 - Barite
$ 1250.00 (=~ £ 1009.44) SOLD
Pohla Mine, Pohla Schwarzenberg District, Saxony, Germany
cabinet - 14.5 x 8.2 x 6 cm

This is a large, aesthetic specimen from a classic locality. The crystals are lustrous, and large (the largest over 2 inches), with great, rich color saturation. It was purchased in the 1970's at the Detroit show. It weighs over 600 grams (1.4 pounds). There is a ding to the bottom right corner of the central double terminated crystal. There is a missing crystal on the upper right, and the top most crystal has a cleavage vertically. Barite is soft and damages easily, and if this piece were pristine it would be priced over $5,000. Overall it's a great value for a classic locality. 

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

QUARTZ37 - Quartz Var. Amethyst Scepters
$ 475.00 (=~ £ 383.59) SOLD
Goboboseb Mtns. Brandberg Dist. Erongo Region, Namibia
small cabinet - 7 x 4.6 x 3.3 cm

This unusual example of "antenna Quartz," occurred as a brief layer in  a Quartz vein in the Goboboseb mountains in Namibia. The vein was frosty white quartz, and then they hit a layer where there were secondary growth of Amethyst on the white quartz crystals. Some of the secondary growth may be considered "reverse sceptering," as the Quartz grows skinnier and more narrow, compared with the opposite being "scepters," where they expand outward. 

This piece was the best from a lot I purchased of the Charlie Key collection. What makes this the best example is its broad array of crystallization on a single piece. There are clear quartz crystals that turn purple but have no obvious shift in structure, then there are ones that scepter as they turn purple, and others that become narrower as they turn purple. No damage. 

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