The Michael R. Walter Collection
Minerals of Northern New York State
Through the years my personal collection has changed themes several times. First I collected quartz…."yes, a bit broad to say the least"! In the early 1990’s I began collecting Chinese minerals and continued my focus on this emerging mineralogical wonderland for 15 years. Initially the minerals from China were tough to get and more exotic than they are today. Again, the theme was a bit overwhelming, especially on a budget.
Finally, after nearly 40 years of collecting and studying minerals I have settled on making my primary collecting focus the minerals of northern New York State, mainly St. Lawrence County minerals. Why collect St. Lawrence County minerals?! Because I field collect extensively in this region of north eastern North America I also put a premium on the specimens I have mined myself. Lastly, I highly prize specimens which have been figured in publications related to the science of mineralogy. Not specimens of scientific interest only or micros, rather good aesthetic specimens that display well and are composed of clearly visible crystals which are exceptional for the locally. Just like most of my customers I have a preference for specimens which have little to no damage.
So, what do I purchase for myself? I like to know that I am getting an exceptional piece for a fair price, again, like my customers. If you are looking to sell me specimens I am interested in any New York specimens of well formed crystals for my specimen inventory. For my collection, however, I look for only the very best or very nice examples which round out locality suites. New York State specimens are in demand and if they are important pieces should command high prices. However, I’ve seen too many dealers looking to sell very nice Herks, Walworth fluorites, cubic magnetites, etc. that are not the best of their species (in any respect) for many thousands of dollars. Only the top specimens from the localities I collect should command that type of money.
To follow are pieces from my personal collection which are good examples of specimens which I consider to be exceptional. The reasons why they are exceptional should be clarified in their descriptions and comments.
Specimen: Titanite and Diopside on Albite (var. Antiperthite) with minor Fluorapatite and Quartz pseudomorph after Wollastonite. The Rose Road Wollastonite Occurrence, Pitcairn, New York.
Description: The specimen measures 17.8 centimeters and the titanite crystal is 8.4 centimeters wide. There is one tiny chipped area on the back of the titanite, otherwise a quality, damage free piece. Specimen was removed from pocket using diamond chainsaw but all evidence of this has been trimmed away. Stands nicely for display. Only minor oxidation staining. Titanite is well formed and has a very high luster. The titanite crystal stands way up off the matrix viewing exceptionally well from any direction.
Provenance: Collected by Michael Walter, summer 2007 from the southwest site on the LaPlatney property. Figured in Field Collecting Minerals In the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners, p. 102. Exhibited at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 2008.
Comments: Likely the first or second finest titanite specimen ever found in New York State. Certainly the finest and most displayable matrix specimen from the locale.
Specimen: Uvite. Bower Powers farm, Pierrepont, New York.
Description: This is one of the centerpieces of my collection. This large cabinet specimen (approx. 14 cm across) is perhaps one of the top two or three specimens to ever be recovered from the Powers Farm. Two huge crystals with nice striations and super luster. One tiny crystal at base is damaged, otherwise a perfect piece. The highest of luster with aesthetic and interesting form. Views nicely from all sides. They don’t get better than this!!
Provenance: Collected by Scott Wallace from the Wallace trench on the streamside in the spring of 2009.
Comments: Very displayable piece of museum caliber. Top specimen of the most desirable species for the locale.
Specimen: Herkimer Diamond Scepter and Calcite from Treasure Mountain Mine, on Fall Hill, Little Falls, New York.
Description: One of the best Herkimer diamond scepters to be found at Treasure Mountain Mine by mine manager Chris Phetteplace and John Kullia. 9.5 cm scepter, they rank as the third-best ever found by mine manager Chris Phetteplace and John Kullia while working for Treasure Mountain Mining Company. Zero damage. Calcite is poor but nicely balanced.
Provenance: Photograph on cover of Field Collecting Minerals in the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners and p. 17. Figured in Rocks and Minerals Magazine, New York State I issue, Nov/ Dec. 2007, p. 455. Also, in the book, Gems of Wisdom, Gems of Power by Teresa Kennedy, p. 135. Exhibited at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 2008.
Comments: An exceedingly rare specimen made even more uncommon by the closure of the mine and its use in numerous publications.
Specimen: Uvite on Diopside, Bush Farm, Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Co., New York.
Description: A fine miniature sized, approximately 4.5 cm, grouping with bright white diopsides and medium brown uvites. Damage free and even better than the photo indicates. All uvites are of high luster and double terminated.
Provenance: Field collected by Michael Walter.
Comments: Damage free, high luster, and stable specimens from this locale rank among the most difficult of classic New York State specimens to get.
Specimen: Diopside and Albite (var. Antiperthite), the Rose Road Wollastonite Occurrence, Pitcairn, New York.
Description: 15 cm cluster with one large primary crystal which is double terminated. Entire backside shows contact from matrix. Exceptional luster and form. Zero damage.
Provenance: This is the best specimen found as part of the Wallace/ Walter collecting efforts in the fall of 2006. Collected by Scott Wallace. Photographed for Field Collecting Minerals In the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners, p. 91. The story associated with the finding of this specimen is well documented in the book by the author and by Scott Wallace. Also, in Teresa Kennedy’s book, Gems of Wisdom, Gems of Power, p. 130 and The Vug Magazine, vol. II, no. 2. Exhibited at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 2008.
Comments: This is believed to be one of the best diopside specimen found on the Pitcairn property and one of the best diopsides from anywhere in New York State.
Specimen: “The Four Bridges” Uvite with minor Quartz. Bower Powers farm, Pierrepont, New York
Description: Four bridges of small uvites climb up and over a large 3.5 cm. uvite crystal. 4 cm overall. High luster, no damage and exceptional in form.
Provenance: Collected by Michael Walter summer 2005 with Scott Wallace from the stream end of the streamside trench (Waddell Trench). Published in Field Collecting Minerals In the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners, p. 56 and The Vug Magazine, vol. II, no. 2. Exhibited at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 2008.
Comments: It is very rare for uvite from Powers farm to be damage free. This specimen a spectacular in its display for it having a combination of large and small crystals (two generations?).
Specimen: Dolomite on Calcite, Yellow Lake South Road Cut, north of Oxbow, New York.
Description: This piece is composed of a single 15 centimeter schalenohedral crystal of yellow calcite on which an attractive coating of epitactic dolomite, in two generations, coats much of the area just below its terminal point. It sits nicely for display, has no damage and could be one of the finest, non-twinned crystals to ever be recovered from the Yellow Lake North or Yellow Lake South sites.
Provenance: Collected by Michael Walter, summer 2006 from chamber # 1 in the pocket complex discovered at the YLS Road cut. Figured in Field Collecting Minerals In the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners, p. 120. Exhibited at the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 2008.
Comments: Closed locality. One of the best specimens ever produced and highly displayable. Museum material.
Specimen: Skeletal Herkimer Diamond Scepter, Treasure Mt. Mine, Fall Hill, Little Falls, New York.
Description: The stem is not evident on this specimen from its frontal view. It appears behind and is almost completely encased by clear quartz. This piece also has a large, more than a centimeter long and unique inclusion with movable calcite crystals within it. Entire specimen measures 9 cm. A very large, attractive Herk scepter. There is a major repair to crystal. Floater.
Provenance: Figured in Field Collecting Minerals In the Empire State: Stories of Modern Day North Country Miners, p. 24.
Comments: Closed location. An exceptional specimen which may be unique due to the odd inclusion.
Specimen: Millerite on Hematite with Siderite, Sterling Mine, Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York.
Description: The crystal spray resides close to the entry into a complex and aesthetic vug of magnetite pseudos. after hematite blades. It measures more than a centimeter in diameter and is complete. The luster is average but most everything else about the millerite is exceptional. More aesthetic than most from this location.
Provenance: From Terry “Skip” Szenic. From his personal collection where it resided for almost 30 years. Terry rediscovered this lost location in the 1960s.
Comments: This is extremely rare material on today’s market and the specimen is very nice. Actually, a noteworthy, large specimen that possesses strong aesthetics.
Specimen: Albite (var. antiperthite) Carlsbad Twins with Diopside, The Pitcairn Wollastonite Occurrence, Pitcairn, New York.
Description: A rare specimen which boasts numerous well formed Manebach twins on a plate with minor diopsides. The albites are very crisp and clean. Mineralization on this small cabinet specimen is only on the one display face and all the crystals are damage free. Very displayable.
Provenance: Collected by Michael Walter fall 2006 from the southeast site on the LaPlatney property below the Lunch Break Pocket. Figured in Rocks and Minerals Magazine, Sept/Oct. 2009, Vol. 84, No. , p. 454 as part of the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, 25th session abstracts. The Minerals of the Rose Road Wollastonite Deposit, Pitcairn, St. Lawrence County, New York by M. Walter, S. Chamberlain, R. Rowe and D. Bailey.
Specimen: Fluorapatite, Uvite, Microcline after Quartz, Chlorite after Phlogopite and Pyrite, Bower Powers farm, Pierrepont, New York.
Description: This is the finest fluorapatite specimen collected from the Phosphate trench in the summer of 2004, the finest from the area and the finest from Powers farm as a whole. Composed of single and double terminated crystals it is viewable from all sides, sits nicely and damage free. The specimen is as aesthetic as a fluorapatite can be from this locale. High luster and great form to this small cabinet sized specimen. It is so unusual for an exceptionally large specimen to be so exceptional in all other regards, as well.
Provenance: Collected by Michael Walter from the Phosphate trench, summer 2008. Figured in The Vug, vol 2 issue 2.
Comments: An important specimen in that is the finest of its species from the local.
My Wants List
Here are a few of the things I am looking for:
Herkimer diamond scepters, 8 cm or larger, St. Johnsville... maybe Little Falls
Skeletal Herk on matrix, 12 to 18 cm diameter crystal, any mine
ZCA sphalerite plate, 20+ cm
Walworth and Penfield suite (all minerals of top quality)
Bush farm uvites of excellent quality with blue fluorapatite accessory
Rossie galena, of excellent crystal form
Rossie calcite twin, 10+ cm, clear
Norwood quarry quartz, dolomite, calcite combo specimen
Powers Farm quartz specimen. Smoky, alpine quality, 10 cm+ from the find in the 1970s