This specimen was not stolen, but it is "lost," that is, it has been apparently lost for years. It may exist in a museum collection, or perhaps in someones personal collection. I would very much like to track this down.
From: USGS - Department of the Interior - "Mineral Resources of the Unites States," Calendar Year 1903 (Printed 1904)
Page 947:
"In the report of this bureau for 1896, reference was made to a large crystal of smoky quartz from Harford County, Maryland and to the evidence afforded by the numerous pebbles of this material in the Potomac Gravels of its presence in considerable amount in the crystalline rocks farther up.
It seems that an enormous specimen of the mineral was obtained in Maryland many years ago, which has not been heretofore recorded. Mr. Edward C. Mitchell, president of the Academy of Sciences of St. Paul, Minnesota, writes that he has in his possession a fine crystal of smoky quartz, 16 inches long, and 7 1/2" in diameter, and weighing 47 pounds, which he found in 1860 near Ellicotts Mills in Howard County, Maryland."
I have checked with the Minnesota academy and the Minnesota Historical Society, both organizations of which the Reverend Mitchell was a board member. They have both checked and the specimen has never been in their collections. I am currently checking with a few other places in Minnesota, but thought I might put out feelers here on Mindat, to see if anyone has run across this specimen or has knowledge of its whereabouts.
Jeff Nagy
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2009 01:55PM by Jeff Nagy.
