DALLAS, TX.- In some cases, the old adage is true: bigger is better.
Such is the case with the minerals of Dan Kennedy, a longtime collector whose trove is stuffed with specimens as impressive because of their sheer size as they are for their dazzling aesthetic beauty. The “big man with a big personality” believed in doing things in a ... wait for it ... big way — an approach that is visible throughout the magnificent offerings in Heritage’s October 30 The Kennedy Precious Metals Collection Signature® Auction.
Kennedy was a celebrated California collector who collected magnificent minerals that were as big — he rarely took in anything less than 15 centimeters in length — as they were attractive.
The upcoming auction will be one of three from his collection at Heritage, and will focus on his extraordinary subcollection of native crystallized metals. The others, including one coming up in March, will focus on his world-class assemblage of fine minerals.
“Dan Kennedy’s love of nature was reflected in this incredible collection,” says Nic Valenzuela, Director of Fine Minerals at Heritage Auctions. “He appreciated nature’s beauty and carefully curated this collection, starting with the native minerals offered in this auction.”
Among the top highlights in the auction is a Native Gold from the Serra do Caldeirão claims in Pontes e Lacerda, Mato Grosso, Brazil. One of the top Gold specimens ever to come to market, this massive (7.8 centimeters) consists of a single massive crystal, which is free of any matrix or signs of attachment, making it a complete floater. Further elevating the demand for this crystal is the fact that it is one of the finest ever produced in the fertile Mato Grosso region.
Another magnificent treasure in the auction is a Native Gold from the Round Mountain Mining District in the Toquima Range in Nye County, Nevada. This beauty is even larger, measuring 12.4 centimeters in length on a contrasting Quartz matrix, the upper half of which is covered with beautifully formed Gold leaves that reach an impressive 3.2 centimeters in length. That this magnificent specimen originated in one of the classic American Gold localities only increases its desirability, and it is the finest Round Mountain Gold ever brought to auction.
A Native Gold from Mohave County in Arizona is, according to Kennedy, the largest gold specimen ever produced in The Grand Canyon State. Measuring a massive 14.4 centimeters in length, this substantial matrix specimen is covered in Gold and offers a stunning 360-degree view, pointed at the top and proportioned wonderfully. The Gold crystals are incredibly intricate, forming almost like leaves due to the etched-away matrix that originally hosted this specimen. Due to environmental factors and impurities, Gold can come in a wide range of colors, with none finer than the vivid, warm yellow found in this beautiful example.
Other top Gold lots in the auction include:
• A Native Gold from the Belshazzar Mine in the Quartzburg Mining District in Boise County, Idaho
• A Native Gold from Specimen Gulch from Agua Fria, Mining Camp in Mariposa County, California
• A Native Gold from the Eagle’s Nest Mine in the Michigan Bluff Mining District of Placer County, California
One of the most visually dramatic lots in the auction is a Native Silver on Acanthite from the Ducat Mine (Dukat Mine) in the Omsukchansky District in Magadan Oblast, Russia. Not only is it from a prized locality (most wire Silvers from this part of the world are from Kazakhstan), from which wire Silver is rare, but it also stands out — literally — because of its size and perfection. The curving form towers over the matrix, and curls in a gorgeous single helix. In addition to the main wire, there are a number of subsidiary wires poking out of the dark, Acanthite-rich matrix, giving the piece an extra bit of visual complexity.
Other top Silver lots in the auction include, but are not limited to:
• A Native Silver from the Kongsberg silver mining district in Buskerud, Norway
• A Native Silver from the Chañarcillo Mining District, in the Copiapó Province in Atacama, Chile
A spectacular lot that simply commands attention is a Copper “Fan” from Lake Superior in Michigan. This historic specimen is simply spectacular, measuring 29.4 centimeters from one side to the other. The famous Copper fans of the Michigan Mining Districts are a very distinctive and unique product of the region and period: When dignitaries or important clients came to visit the mines up north, miners would carve these Copper fans as souvenirs for their visitors, fashioned out of large Copper chunks that were chiseled into thin blades, all attached together at the bottom. The chiseling motion would splay out these spokes — the more spokes the fan had, the more valuable it would be. With an impressive nine spokes, this example is one of the larger ones.
Another copper prize in the auction is a Cuprite on Copper from the Rubtsovsk Mine in Altai Krai, Russia. To have such fantastic Cuprite crystals, already excellent on their own, paired with Copper is rarely precedented and extremely desirable. In the case of thismagnificent 17.7-centimeter example, the Cuprite rests on the top edge of the Copper specimen, forming extremely sharp octahedral crystals, some of which are truncated with rectangular faces. Underneath the Cuprite is an equally great cluster of Copper crystals, featuring modified but well-defined terminations and a glittering bronze luster. Depending on the presentation, it can be seen in a different — literally. With very strong backlighting, the edges of the deep Cuprite crystals will glow red.
Other top copper lots include, but are not limited to:
• A Native Copper from the Chino Mine in the Santa Rita Mining District in Grant County, New Mexico
• A fiery red Native Copper from the Chengmenshan Mine in Jiangxi, China
