Joaquim Callen's Photo Gallery

TR91AJ9
One of the attractive aspects of the sample is the contrast between the dark crystalline matrix and the pale shades of the elongated Pyromorphite crystals, a lot of them doubly terminated, with hollow terminations and partially coated and replaced by Plumbogummite of a pale blue color.

MA86AH3
Plumbogummite growths that are between botryoidal and stalactitic. They have an intense greenish-blue color and velvety surfaces and they have empty cores with the shape of lost Pyromorphite crystals as well as some yellow traces of these former Pyromorphite crystals. The sample has been analyzed and we’ll send a copy of the analysis to the buyer.

MR88AG1
Yes, it is Calcite, a very common species, but check out the crystallographic habit of this group of crystals and their light pink color. Different…

EJ87AH3
Esthetics and mineralogy are joined on this elongated Fluorite sample, with Fluorite crystal cubes that are translucent, with a lilac color on their interior and strongly saturated violet color on their edges, and they are partially coated by Baryte on the back. They have grown around a fine elongated Stibnite crystal that is partially visible due to the transparency of the Fluorite.
The specimen has been published in the book 'China II', by Berthold Ottens, on page 371 and also in the book 'Fluorit aus China', by Berthold Ottens, on page 69

MP88AJ9
A very well balanced sample which spotlights their transparency and the luster and diaphaneity of the octahedral Fluorite crystals beveled by the dodecahedron and the cube, and the right matrix with Quartz, Calcite and Dolomite.

ET96AH3
Even the most well known occurrences can adopt different forms, new or attractive, as this irregular surface completely recrystallized on both of its ends by transparent cubic Fluorite crystals with an intense violet color. Similar to a geode, but fully upholstered by Fluorite crystals “in” and “out” at the same time…

TL68AJ9
The sample is especially attractive due the contrast between the thin and sharp forms of the rosette aggregates of the laminar Hematite crystals, very bright, and the rounded outlines of the aggregates of white Quartz crystals with the “artichoke-like” shape.

EV97AJ9
Perhaps simply Quartz but it has a surprising variety of forms and morphological changes, with parallel growths on the scepter terminations, dipyramidal, with a short prism (in some cases those faces are nonexistent or poorly visible and such crystals have sometimes been erroneously described as β-Quartz). The Quartz group is very rich in inclusions and partially coated by small, white Calcite-Dolomite crystals.

MR90AH3
The year 2010 saw the ringing of the bell of the first great samples arriving from Huanggang, a mining area of which little had been spoken of until that moment. Among the novelties there were some Ilvaite samples with crystals of great size with very well defined faces and frequently with Quartz crystals. In a very short time these samples became classic, not only for China but also for the rest of the world.

TB50AJ9
Another sample with great impact, a group of clear Quartz crystals with reddish zones due to Hematite inclusions and partially coated by rosette aggregates (iron rose variety) of laminar Hematite crystals and a group of dipyramidal Helvine crystals. The Helvine, from the East Ujimqin Banner area and not from the classic Huanggang mine but from the Qagan Obo deposit, has been analyzed and we will send a copy of the analysis to the buyer.

EA89AJ9
If the variation is pleasant, what better than this association of four species, two of them (Roweite and Olshanskyite) very rare? The Roweite is in aggregates of laminar crystals of great size and quality for what has been known for the species, and it is on matrix, with very sharp, clear and colorless Olshanskyite crystals, small Andradite crystals and octahedral Magnetite crystals. The Roweite crystals are neatly differentiated and have well defined faces and edges with a light creamy color. The quality of these specimens is undoubtedly superior to what was previously known, both for the individuality of the crystals and for their sharpness, but also for their association with first level Olshanskyite crystals, which makes them deserving to be in the best private collections and museums. We have analyzed samples to confirm the identity of the different species and we’ll send a copy of the analyses to the buyer.

EQ96AG1
The good definition and morphology of this Lazurite on Calcite takes us back to the time in which from this locality the "lapislazuli" was extracted and distributed throughout the world via the Silk Road.

ME68AI6
A Pakistan Beryl (aquamarine variety) crystal, very similar to old Brazilian samples, with the pinacoidal termination beveled by several pyramids and with inner phantom growths and dissolution channels all along the interior of the crystal.
The sample is from the Carles Manresa collection whose label we’ll send to the buyer.

TJ17AJ9
We must especially note the esthetic quality of this kind of floater Cerussite aggregates forming multiple twins of very sharp crystals that are between laminar and tabular, transparent, very bright and more neat and perfect than most of the samples from this locality.

MH46AH3
Seen and unseen, these samples that appeared at the Munich Show in 2015 are currently a rarity. They form arborescent growths of Willemite crystals pseudomorphous after Descloizite and have partial coatings of small barrel-shaped Mimetite crystals with an intense orange color.
This specimen was published on the Mineralogical Record´s web page, in the ‘What's New’ section, report 49, May 7, 2018 edition.

TM96AH3
The most innovative of this Iranian Mimetite sample is, undoubtedly, its sharpness and that its tabular crystals have a color, a transparency and a luster that are unusual for the species. In this concrete case we must note their esthetic growth on a matrix of white Calcite crystals.

EE36AJ9
On a species generally appearing on the gamma of white or gray, draws our attention the pleasant orange-red color selectively distributed in the very well defined trapezohedral crystals, one of them clearly dominant.

TC16AJ6
A very fine and aerial Gold growth with large leafy crystals. The sample is of an uncommon quality. We will send it in its original Perkin’s box from the R.J. Noble collection, also containing the collection label on which it appears that it was purchased from the Normandy Mining Limited Bronzewing Operations in 2003.

EH37AI6
A Broken Hill Anglesite with the special appeal of the ancient (the “oldies”) samples. The Anglesite has completely pseudomorphed a group of flattened Cerussite crystals with a coralloid aspect and that have a white color with pinkish shades.
The sample is from the René Hubin collection whose label we’ll send to the buyer with other two old labels that were with it.