Wendy & Frank Melanson Collection Frank and Wendy Melanson have operated the mineral dealership Hawthorneden since 1968. Since then, Wendy has amassed a fantastic collection of thumbnail sized specimens with Frank’s assistance. Their frequent trips to Brazil and great contacts in Canada and around the world have given them access to a vast array of minerals and localities represented in this collection of nearly 10,000 specimens.

It’s hard to call this a crystal since it is cleaved in three directions on the back, but in this case it makes it a bit more interesting. The rich dark brownish-red color is only the outer layer of the crystal which, as you can see on the cleaved surface, zones from this down to a nearly white pale pink and then to gemmy Sweet Home-like red in core. Even though it is only a fragment it displays well front and back depending on which aspect of the specimen you want to display.