Marin Mineral
Miniatures from the Irv Brown Collection
May 5, 2025  ·  15 specimens

A selection of fine minatures from the collection of Irv Brown.  Irv is a well known, top level collector and good friend with an excellent eye for aesthetic minerals. Irv frequently displays his minerals at shows and is a two time Desautels award winner and five time quality judge at the Tucson show. I hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I do.

P974 - Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz   $1,250  available

Nuristan, Afghanistan
Small Cabinet - 5.3 x 3.7 x 3.2 cm



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Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz Elbaite, Aquamarine, Quartz

Stunning miniature of green Tourmaline, Aquamarine, and Quartz together in an aestheticly composed cluster. The Tourmaline is translucent deep green and besides the main cluster, there are additional smaller green crystals on the backside. The Aquamarine is glassy, bright and partially doubly-terminated. The Quartz rises up the center and has interesting growth features on the prism faces and is also partially doubly-terminated. An overall outstanding architecture and sculptural look to the specimen. Well crystallized all around and undamaged with minor Albite and Lepidolite on the back, along with another small Aqua. Ex Irv Brown collection.

P975 - Malachite on Cuprite   $2,800  available

Onganja Mine, Khomas, Namibia
Miniature - 4.5 x 3.5 x 3 cm



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Malachite on Cuprite Malachite on Cuprite Malachite on Cuprite Malachite on Cuprite

Two bevelled, octahedral Cuprite crystals coated with a thin layer of Malachite. Both crystals are similar in size at 3.5 and 3.2 cm. Some areas of the backside show the bright red, translucent Cuprite when backlit. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P976 - Wulfenite  sold

Red Cloud Mine, La Paz Co., Arizona, USA
Miniature - 3.9 x 2.7 x 0.5 cm



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Wulfenite Wulfenite Wulfenite Wulfenite

Large, glassy orange/red crystal of Red Cloud Wulfenite, reportedly from the Ed Over finds. This is a floater, well crystallized all around with the great color that made this mine famous. There are transparent sections in the crystals. Undamaged with minor amounts of attached Calcite on the back side. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P977 - Azurite, Malachite after Azurite   $650  available

Ajo, Pima Co., Arizona, USA
Small Cabinet - 5.3 x 3.5 x 1.6 cm



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Azurite, Malachite after Azurite Azurite, Malachite after Azurite Azurite, Malachite after Azurite Azurite, Malachite after Azurite

Deep blue Azurite crystals with velvety crystals of green Malachite after Azurite crystals on rock matrix. The crystals are both isolated and in clusters making for a colorful and elegant display. Fine and undamaged, an excellent Ajo specimen. Ex. Irv Brown collection.

P978 - Langite  sold

Mountain Mine, Allihies, Beara Peninsula, County Cork, Ireland
Miniature - 5 x 3.5 x 1.3 cm



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Langite Langite Langite

Rich blue Langite over matrix from the Mountain Mine in Ireland. This was part of Tim Sherburn's extensive Ireland collection. Though Tim had a number of Irish Langites in his collection, this was his display Langite, and you can see why. While other Langites in Tim's collection had similar rich blue color, they did not have the surface sparkle of this piece. This specimen was published in Tim's section of the 'Mineral Collections in California' special supplement of the Mineralogical Record (July-August 2017). Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P979 - Apatite   $950  available

Cerro Mercado, Durango, Mexico
Miniature - 4.8 x 4.5 x 4 cm



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Apatite Apatite Apatite Apatite Apatite

Two transparent yellow Apatite crystals set in a matrix of bubbly translucent Chalcedony. Both crystals are in similar upright alignment, well terminated, and fully transparent gem quality. Although loose single crystals are commonplace, and even matrix pieces are relatively abundant, truely special pieces like this are not. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P980 - Cobaltian Dolomite   $1,300  available

Mashamba West Mine, Lualaba, DR Congo
Miniature - 4.5 x 4.3 x 2.5 cm



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Cobaltian Dolomite Cobaltian Dolomite Cobaltian Dolomite Cobaltian Dolomite

Two flat, triangular crystals of vibrant, 'hot' pink Cobaltian Dolomite. Both the crystal size and color are excellent, with the largest crystal 2.7cm wide. The crystals sit upright on matrix and are well crystallized on the back side too. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P981 - Spessartine with Quartz  sold

Tongbei, Fujian Prov., China
Miniature - 4.9 x 4.5 x 4 cm



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Spessartine with Quartz Spessartine with Quartz Spessartine with Quartz Spessartine with Quartz Spessartine with Quartz Spessartine with Quartz

Brilliant orange Spessartine crystals coating Feldspar crystals and also the lower parts of an attached Smokey Quartz crystal. Great coverage of transparent Spessartine with crystals up to 7mm wide. Fine and undamaged example from a now closed locality. Ex. Irv Brown, Bob Reynolds collections.


P982 - Wulfenite  sold

Red Cloud Mine, La Paz Co., Arizona, USA
Miniature - 4.8 x 4 x 2.5 cm



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Wulfenite Wulfenite Wulfenite Wulfenite

Glassy orange/red crystals of Wulfenite on a Calcite rich matrix from the Red Cloud Mine. The specimen features larger crystals in a cluster and a 1cm 'window pane' crystal near the base. The crystals are orange to red in color, translucent with transparent sections.  There is also a unique, concentric, circular formation in the Calcite that looks like a short volcano, and slight purple coloration on the Calcite in areas. This is an old piece that according to Irv was collected in the 19th century. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P983 - Orpiment   $750  available

Twin Creeks Mine, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA
Miniature - 4.3 x 3.3 x 2.5 cm



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Orpiment Orpiment Orpiment Orpiment

Cluster of bright orange Orpiment crystals from the premiere USA locality for the species. The crystals form an aesthetic fan-shaped cluster and are translucent to transparent. Irv has had this specimen for years and notes that it has maintained it's bright orange color. Ex. Irv Brown collection.

P984 - Pyrite   $650  available

Butte, Silverbow Co., Montana, USA
Miniature - 3.8 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm



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Pyrite Pyrite Pyrite Pyrite

Bright metallic crystals of Pyrite from Butte forming a floater cluster crystallized all around. The crystals have surface striations and reach 2.1cm in size. Nothing but great undamaged crystals all around with minor amounts of Quartz crystals attached. Ex. Irv Brown collection and formerly in the Peter Bancroft collection.


P985 - Aquamarine on Muscovite   $2,500  available

Mt. Xuebaoding, Pingwu Co., Sichuan Prov., China
Small Cabinet - 5.2 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm



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Aquamarine on Muscovite Aquamarine on Muscovite Aquamarine on Muscovite Aquamarine on Muscovite Aquamarine on Muscovite

Bright and glassy tabular Aquamarine crystal on Muscovite. The crystal is 4cm wide, undamaged, and complete all around. These are well known and not uncommon, but the transparency, luster, and overall brightness of this one really stands out from the crowd. Ex. Irv Brown collection.

P986 - Tourmaline on Lepidolite  sold

Jonas Mine, Itatiaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Small Cabinet - 5.2 x 5 x 3 cm



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Tourmaline on Lepidolite Tourmaline on Lepidolite Tourmaline on Lepidolite Tourmaline on Lepidolite Tourmaline on Lepidolite

Clusters of translucent purple Lepidolite with attached cranberry-red Tourmaline crystals. A single flat crystal of Albite adds to the aesthetic of the specimen. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P987 - Dioptase with Wulfenite   $3,500  available

Angola
Small Cabinet - 5.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm



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Dioptase with Wulfenite Dioptase with Wulfenite Dioptase with Wulfenite Dioptase with Wulfenite Dioptase with Wulfenite

Rare specimen of Dioptase with Wulfenite from old finds in Angola. The Dioptase are transparent and the Wulfenite are thick and bipyramidal, reaching 1.3cm in size. The largest Wulfenite is on the front, with two additional crystals on the backside. This an older specimen from the Bob Reynolds collection (former curator of the San Bernardino County museum in California) and still has his old collection number on the back. No precise locality information was provided, but it's possibly from the Mavoio Mine in Uige Province. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


P988 - Vanadinite  sold

Mibladen, Morocco
Miniature - 3.8 x 3.2 x 3 cm



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Vanadinite Vanadinite Vanadinite Vanadinite Vanadinite

Cluster of thick, high quality Vanadinite crystals. This specimen was actually a trim off Irv's famous, larger specimen which is one of the finest known specimens of Vanadinite. A beautiful specimen that is complete all around and undamaged with crystals to 1.7cm. Ex. Irv Brown collection.


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