Natural History - Boxed Polished Amethyst Crystal Obelisk Group [3]

A set of four polished coasters with cork backing, showing attractive layering. 560 grams total, 94 mm each



From a Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.

Comprising: blue sapphire from Antar Village, Jamaa, Kaduna State, Nigeria, collection number 563; a fine aquamarine-blue tourmaline crystal with pale rose-pink colour towards the top of the main crystal, collection number 460, with an old Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd label; cinnabar from Humboldt County, California, USA, collection number 260; talc from Norway, collection number 18; copper from USA, collection number 91; baryte from Frizington, Cumbria, England, collection number 421; moss agatev311; lapis lazuli from USSR, collection number 135; mica schist from Skiathos Island, Greece, collection number 511. 104 grams total, 25-47 mm



Acquired on the UK mineral and fossil market, since 1970. From the historic mineral collection of Richard Valentine Cain, London, UK, thence by descent. Each specimen accompanied by an original historic index file card.

Knightia alta specimen on a rectangular matrix. 397 grams, 13.3 cm



From Wyoming (Green River Formation), USA. From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

In southwest Wyoming (and parts of Colorado and Utah) in the Green River Formation are found some of the world's most outstanding specimens of fossil fish. The Green River system was composed of three lakes: Lake Ulinta, Lake Gosiute and Fossil Lake. These Eocene lakes lay in a series of intermountain basins formed by geological events that uplifted the Rocky Mountains during the early Tertiary time. The climate was much different from the desert-like climate of this area today. Both the fauna (crocodiles, alligators, boa constrictors and some subtropical fish families) and the flora (such as large palm trees) indicate a climate much like that found along the Gulf Coast today. Large amounts of ash found in the sediments indicate that volcanoes were particularly active at this time.