Quartz

specimen number:
1052354

location:
Carrara, Massa-Carrara, Tuscany, Italy

description:
Classic Italian specimen with a gem quality and glassy crystal of quartz to .0 cm in size set up on a marble matrix. This is in terrific condition. The specimen dates to the 19th century and comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video. At one time part of the collection of Wilhelm Hoyer.

Mining in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy is famous for the extraction of high quality white marble from the Apuan Alps. Quarrying in the region dates back to Roman times, when Carrara marble was used for sculpture and architecture throughout the Roman Empire. The marble occurs in metamorphosed limestone that was uplifted and exposed in the mountain range, allowing large open quarries to develop along the slopes. Over centuries the industry expanded and became one of the most important stone quarrying regions in the world. Carrara marble remains highly valued today for sculpture, building stone, and decorative uses.

Wilhelm Hoyer was a 19th century German mineral collector and dealer who was active during a period when systematic mineral collecting and scientific study were expanding across Europe. He handled and distributed mineral specimens from important mining regions such as the Harz Mountains and the Erzgebirge of Saxony. Hoyer supplied specimens to collectors, universities, and museums, and many minerals he sold were accompanied by printed or handwritten labels that are still recognized today. Original Hoyer labels are valued by collectors because they provide historical provenance for specimens from classic European mining districts.

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