Elbaite with Orthoclase, Albite, Quartz

specimen number:
1052759

location:
Elba, Tuscany, Italy

description:
Fine classic Italian specimen with gemmy crystals of elbaite measuring to 0.7 cm in height coming off of a matrix of blocky lustrous microcline crystals. Albite and quartz are present as well. From the type locality for the species. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. This label gives an original acquisition date in 1910.

The island of Elba, situated within the Tuscan Archipelago of Livorno Province, Italy, hosts a historic mining district famous as the formal type locality for elbaite, a lithium-rich member of the tourmaline mineral group. Geologically, the western portion of the island is dominated by the late Miocene-age Monte Capanne granodiorite pluton, which generated highly fractionated, boron-rich peripheral pegmatite dikes that intruded into surrounding metamorphic hornfels and schists. The highly specialized pockets within these pegmatites allowed for the crystallization of multicolored, zoned elbaite prisms, frequently associated with lepidolite, beryl, orthoclase, and clear quartz. Historically, while iron mining on eastern Elba dates back to the Etruscans and Romans around 1000 BC, the systematic quarrying of western Elba's pegmatites for mineral specimens and gemstones centered heavily around the small villages of San Piero in Campo and Sant Ilario in Campo during the nineteenth century. Formal extraction and scientific collecting peaked between the 1820s and the 1910s under the oversight of prominent local collectors and European universities, and while large-scale commercial gem quarrying ceased by the mid-twentieth century, highly restricted seasonal artisanal specimen recovery by permitted local collectors continues to yield classic material through 2026.

Dr. Ludwig Eger (active c. 1870-1915) was a highly respected Austrian mineral dealer based in Vienna who played a significant role in the distribution of Central European and Alpine mineral specimens during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Operating under the firm name "Dr. L. Eger," his business was situated in the heart of Vienna, a primary hub for scientific exchange during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Eger was noted for his professional, academic approach to the mineral trade, often supplying high-quality, systematic collections to universities and major museums throughout Europe and North America. His labels are easily recognized by their classic 19th-century typography, typically featuring "Dr. L. Eger, Wien" (the German name for Vienna) and providing detailed locality and species data in a formal, structured format. In addition to minerals, Eger dealt in paleontological and zoological specimens, as was common for the natural history establishments of the time.

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