The Arkenstone Gallery of Fine Minerals

The Arkenstone Gallery of Fine Minerals The Arkenstone (est. 1986) by Dr. Robert Lavinsky. We also maintain a large private gallery, open by appointment, in Dallas, Texas. Contact us to visit!

One of the first mineral sales websites, launched in 1995, iRocks.com has been at the forefront of fine mineral sales. The Arkenstone (Est. 1996) is a world-leader in crystals, fine minerals, and natural art. We love sharing our passion for these unique pieces of natural art, and we have decades of experience consulting with private collectors and museums on curating collections and designing displays. Our 7000+ square foot showroom in Dallas, Texas is open by appointment.

08/05/2026

Quartz (Prase) on crystallized Hematite - Serifos Island, Milos, South Aegean, Greece
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54018

Part of the Liebetraus' Tucson Best-in-Show-winning case (Desautels Award) in 2012, this imposing and aesthetic cluster of Quartz (Prase) is from the historic locality of Serifos Island. The green Quartz crystals display extremely well, with the largest being about 19 cm and the smaller ones being equally impressive. These smaller crystals (still up to 10.5 cm!) are remarkably sharp and well formed, and the translucence of all the crystals, when backlit, is lovely. The Quartz sits on a matrix of Hematite blades, which is a renowned combination for here. An old classic, this significant piece was mined from skarns during the producing heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These are among most unusual and fascinating specimens of included-Quartz crystals of their kind. Note: Prase from Serifos is Quartz colored green by inclusions of fibrous Actinolite or Crossite, not Hedenbergite (Hyrsl and Niedermayr, 2003; see also Klemme et al., 2018). Unique, and immediately recognizable by collectors. This is among the largest and finest we have seen for sale or know of. It is complete all around. Large Cabinet, 22.5 x 13.8 x 13.6 cm. Ex. Al and Sue Liebetrau

08/05/2026

Azurite and Malachite (late 1800s) - Czar Mine, Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
More info: https://bit.ly/4fCVrJ8

This is one of the few larger specimens which had enough continuous lapidary quality carving material to make a big art form carving out of, found when the Larson family purchased the historic Ben Williams Bisbee collection. The rough material for this had not been seen in a century, as old 1800s-early 1900s carving material from Bisbee had been...carved, already! Bill Larson commissioned master lapidary Bud Standley, who specializes in working with copper minerals, to make freeform carvings or slices of some of the best rough specimens, that were not aesthetic as mineral specimens as they came. Such specimens of this size and quality had been only known from museums and a few old collections, until this rediscovery. This large piece became a flagship piece in a memorial case Bill put together in honor of the man and the deal; and retained until now. It is expertly worked on both sides, polished to high luster. Ben Williams became the General Manager of the Copper Queen from 1882 to 1889 and had a stunning personal collection that was only relatively recently brought to market by the Larson's circa 2000; after staying in a family descendant's attic for nearly a century. While they sold much of the collection at that time, this update features pieces from the Ben Williams collection, from the late 1800s, that were kept back another 2 decades in the collection of Bill Larson as a special suite. 395 grams. Cabinet, 12.3 x 10.4 x 4.3 cm. Ex. Ben Williams; William (Bill) Larson

08/04/2026

Calcite (twinned) - Florence Mine, Egremont, Copeland, Cumbria, England, UK
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54007

Calcites from Egremont are among the most renowned in the world, and combined with sharp twinning and glassy transparency, this small-cabinet piece is absolutely first-class for one of these old classics. They were found in the early to mid 1800s and never again, in such quality. The centerpiece is a fantastic, upright, 3.4 cm twinned Calcite that has a gem-clear interior and luster that varies from glassy to silky. The play of light off of the complex faces is dazzling. Backing up this twin are several gem-clear and modified Calcites, and this cluster rests on a plate of small, classic scalenohedrons. There is some Hematite tinting to the scalenohedrons, which is very typical for these English Calcites. Early on, this was a part of the very famous collection of Washington Roebling, the man who designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge. Aesthetic and historic, this great piece is far better in person, where you can appreciate the intricate and beautiful details. We have previous dealer label noting the earlier provenance to Roebling, which I tend to trust; but the original label was lost in the decades since they purchased the piece nearly 20 years ago. Small Cabinet, 6.0 x 5.1 x 4.3 cm. Ex. Bill and Carol Smith; Washington Roebling; Al and Sue Liebetrau

08/04/2026

Fluorite with Sphalerite and Pyrite - Milpo mine, Atacocha mining dist., Cerro de Pasco, Pasco Prov., Pasco, Peru
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/53630

A jewel of a fluorite, from recent finds in Peru from 2020-25, that makes for a full-sized and gorgeous bolt of color in any thumbnail display. The accenting galena crystal (1.5 cm across), so sharp and metallic, makes the piece another level. While there are many small fluorites from the find on market now, this is just special. Thumbnail, 2.9 x 2.6 x 2.0 cm

08/04/2026

Rhodochrosite on Goethite - Uchucchacua Mine, Uchucchacua area, Oyón Dist.., Oyón Prov., Lima, Peru
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54220

A classic from this old Peruvian silver mining district, we have a cherry-red rhodochrosite standing proudly against a coating of black goethite matrix, in a protected crevasse. No repairs nor damage. This specimen came out in the 1980s, and came to us in the 1990s, after which we sold it to the Rich Geiger rhodo collection. Already trimmed down from a massive larger rock, it could be trimmed further to make a balanced miniature more suitable to some tastes; but I liked the context of the actual natural matrix showing how this single huge crystal formed in nature, filling up essentially the entire open void in a cavity with one single crystal. Normally, we might expect a coating or cluster of same sized crystals, not this giant! The crystal is 3 cm tall and 1.5 cm across the front. For this particular style of elongated scalenohedral crystals (much like calcite in form), it has a better transparency and luster than many Peruvian crystals, certainly better than those from modern finds of the early 2000s here. A significant piece not just for crystal size, but for the display impact and the story it tells about how these form in rock cavities, in nature. Small Cabinet, 7.0 x 6.5 x 5.5 cm. Ex. Richard Geiger

08/03/2026

Orthoclase (Feldspar) (709.71 ct) - Itrongay, Mahasoa Est, Betroka Dist., Anosy, Madagascar
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54128

There are some gems that are almost unheard of past specific carat size markers; when you encounter one of such uncanny, godly size, you stop in your tracks. Feldspar, a common SOLID rock-former, rarely occurs in gem quality, let alone in a crystal large enough to retain significant weight once faceted. Many rough specimens remain uncut due to feldspar's softness and perfect cleavage, or simply because they lack true "gemmy" clarity. The famous Madagascan localities are the exception to the rule, the only source known for producing material of this caliber. This round oval defies every norm for the species; it is an absolute GEM throughout. While Feldspar is known for characteristic gas bubble inclusions, here they provide a unique personality quirk, reminiscent of a glass of Riesling, where the bubbles bring the stone to life as if it were moving from within. With a dazzling vitreous luster and top-tier color, this is one of the largest known cut feldspars, weighing a whopping 709.71 ct. This would make a fantastic and rare addition to any collection. This gem comes with excellent provenance from the collection of Michael "Scotty" Scott (1945-2025), an American entrepreneur who was the first CEO of Apple Computer from February 1977 to March 1981. We are honored to release a small selection of gems from the estate of our friend and customer. We believe, knowing him, that this was cut by Mike Gray of Coast to Coast Rare Gems. Jeff Mason Photo. 709.71 ct, 77 x 50 x 36 mm. Ex. Mike Scott

08/03/2026

Milarite - Jaguaraçu pegmatite, Jaguaraçu, Minas Gerais, Brazil
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54078

This is a large crystal of this very rare species, which has only been found in a few places in the world and the Jaguaraçu pegmatite in Brazil is one of them. Milarite is a complex potassium-calcium-beryllium-aluminum silicate and this is a complex crystal consisting of several, yellowish white, slender prismatic crystals in tight parallel growth with the tallest one about 2.3 cm. They have a classic yellow-greenish zone atop. More white in reflected light, more yellow when backlit. This is a very good example of this rare species that was discovered at this locality in 1980-1981 and brought out by Carlos Barbosa subsequent to that time. These are rarely seen on the market. This is likely from finds of the mid 1980s which remain classics, and produced largest of species crystals. Thumbnail, 2.6 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm. Ex. Bill and Anne Cook

08/03/2026

Rhodochrosite with Hübnerite and Fluorite on Quartz - Huayllapon Mine, Pasto Bueno, Pampas Dist., Pallasca Prov., Ancash, Peru
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/54221

A shocking cluster of bright red rhodochrosite that can be seen from half a room away. This small mine high in the Andes produced some of the finest cherry-colored rhodochrosite crystals in the world, even before they were known to collectors from Sweet Home Mine in the USA. The cherry red color, transparency, and luster of the sharp crystals here (which reach 2 cm!), ABSOLUTELY SCREAM that they could be from Colorado! If you had never seen one of these old rhodos in person, it would be easy to simply label this as Sweet Home Mine at double the price (as the USA origin commands a premium in the market, because it is so well known). However, if you know the subtle details to spot them, this has a tiny association with small pastel fluorite crystals here and there; and a few rhodochrosite crystals have small black cores where they overgrew clusters of tiny hübnerite crystals. Taken together, as tempting as it is to look at this and think it a particularly choice Sweet Home piece, we know that it is from these antique finds of Peru. Most of us will never see or hold one in person. Very minor damage when looking up close, trivial in context - and also not remediated by modern labs with epoxy restoration. This is a "modern classic" in some sense, in that many collectors of the Golden Age of mineral collecting obtained one for their collections when these came out of a few pockets in the 1970s-early 80s. However, the pieces are now all in major legacy collections, and owners tend to hold them. One particularly famous pocket of these was produced in the early 1980s and brought to market by Ken Roberts (although of as lightly different style, and so that was the latest origin of such things - we think this find was somewhat earlier as it has even more intense color and slightly different patterning). Small Cabinet, 5.5 x 5.0 x 4.2 cm. Ex. Richard Geiger

08/03/2026

Chalcopyrite on Quartz - Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou, Hunan, China
More info: https://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/53725

Chalcopyrite might SEEM like a common mineral species, but it really is not at all common or available in truly fine, world class level specimens. If you think about it, you have surely seen many examples of the species but how many leapt out at you as truly "important" or above the others. Only a few finds over many decades, from Mexico (giant old crystals), Dalnegorsk (1990s), Panasqueira (rarely) or a few other locales in Peru and even in Africa occasionally, have surprised us - and commanded real value. China, however, has up to this point not been compared favorably to any of those older locations. The Yaogangxian Mine, while well known for other metallic species, was never considered to produce fine chalcopyrite, until it actually did do so - in two major discoveries only. One was in 2022-23; and the other was around 2014-15, and specimens were literally hoarded in a closet for years until being sold somewhat later. This is, we believe from that find judging by the style. The crystal is nearly 2 inches and has an insane metallic luster, a depth of color that is hard to convey but much like 24 karat gold, and hard to focus on because it is so reflective. It is three-dimensional, perfectly displayed on a floating cluster of quartz; and accented at its base by a crowd of sparkly metallic minerals of other species. The piece is 3-dimensional and looks good from any side. The piece is simply beautiful, at a level you would not normally rank this species. We rank the 2014-15 discovery here as having produced a number of world's best of species, and larger examples are in my own and in Steve Smale's China collections. This, for the size, is one of the best we were able to purchase on the ground in China when they came to market. It is pristine and complete all around and is simply a world class example of an otherwise common species. I am partial to Chinese minerals, and biased to use hyperbole for them - true. But this piece, if you see it in person, you will see why this pocket is so highly regarded. This stands with the best of any sulfide metallic species, as a world's best level of play, from any locality - not only from China. Small Cabinet, 6.8 x 5.7 x 4.6 cm

Address

Dallas, TX

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

(972) 437-2492

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Arkenstone Gallery of Fine Minerals posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category