SCEPTRES

Origin: 2nd Sovietsky Mine, Dalnegorsk, Russia

Sample size: 5.5 x 4.5 x 4 cm

Origin: Barra de Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 6 x 1.9 x 0.8 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Arrowhead twin scepter

Origin: Morden, Manitoba, Canada

Ex. Marty Lewadny collection

Sample size: 6.6 x 4.2 x 2.2 cm

Malachite pseudomorph after azurite with sceptre!, ex. Nauke Oechslin Collection, John Schneider photo

Origin: Tsumeb, Namibia

Ex Sussman Collection

Sample size: 5.5 x 4.5 x 4 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

This specimen has numerous crystals of light yellow mimetite to 1.2 cm in length all over it. Quite a few of the crystals have a sceptre-like habit. Also found are blebs of conichalcite.

Origin: Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia, Africa

Sample size: 11.8 x 5.7 x 3.9 cm

John Veevaert, Trinity Mineral Co

Amethyst sceptre Japanese Law twin

Origin: Andilamena, Toamasina, Madagascar

Sample size: 2.6 x 2.4 x 1.6 cm (top/2nd row), 3.5 x 3.1 x 1.5 cm (3rd row), 5.2 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm (4th/5th row), 5.2 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm (6th/bottom)

This is a quartz crystal with an amethyst sceptre overgrowth on it. One of the pyramid faces of the amethyst appears to have grown against some other mineral as there are some unrecognizable crystals faces in the indentation.

Origin: Tugaung Naingdaing, Burma

Sample size: 7 x 3 x 2.2 cm

Sceptre amethyst

Origin: 5.5 x 3.4 cm

Sample size: 4 x 1.2 cm

Photo courtesy of:

John Veevaert, Trinity Mineral Co

Origin: Brandberg, Erongo Mtns., Namibia

Sample size: 3.4 x 1.6 x 1.3 cm

Amethyst/smoky quartz sceptre

Origin: Pipestone Pass, Montana, U.S.A.

Sample size: 3.8 x 1.7 x 1.7 cm

Amethyst sceptre on quartz

Origin: Hallelujah Junction, Lassen Co., California, U.S.A.

Ex. Gene Meieran collection

Sample size: 4.2 x 2.4 x 1.7 cm

Amethyst sceptre on quartz

Origin: Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

Sample size: 4.5 x 4 x 2 cm

Amethyst, reverse sceptre

Amethyst, reverse sceptre, with calcite

Origin: Esperanza Mine, near Bombori, Nor Potosi Province, Potosi Department, Bolivia

Sample size: 3.8 x 2.9 x 2 cm (top), 3.8 x 2.5 x 1.2 cm (2nd row), 5 x 4 x 2.3 cm (3rd row), 4.5 x 4 x 2.5 cm (4th row), 5.3 x 3 x 2.3 cm (5th row), 5.4 x 4.7 x 2.4 cm (bottom)

Amethyst sceptred on quartz

Origin: Yueyang County, Yunnan Province, China

Sample size: 8.7 x 5.5 x 3.6 cm

Amethyst/smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Ambatondrazaka, Lac Alaotra, Madagascar

Sample size: 4.0 x 3.3 x 3.0 cm

Amethyst scepters

Origin: Magdaliesberg, South Africa

Sample size: 4.8 x 2.7 x 2.4 cm

Amethyst sceptre

Origin: Madison County, Montana, U.S.A.

Sample size: 7.2 x 3.6 x 2 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Hopkinton, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Sample size: 4 x 1.6 x 1.3 cm (top), 3.9 x 1.2 x 1.1 cm (bottom)

Quartz/amethyst scepter

Origin: Northern Turkana Province, Rift Valley, Kenya

Sample size: 4.7 x 3 x 2.1 cm

Quartz/amethyst with hematite crystal inclusions plus minor lepidocrocite dusting internally

Origin: Northern Turkana Province, Rift Valley, Kenya

Sample size: 5.7 x 3.6 x 2.7 cm

Scepter with smoky and amethyst tone at the large end and cluster growing in the opposite direction on the other end (with multiple terminations)

Origin: Brandberg, Namibia

Ex. Charlie Key collection

Sample size: 6.8 x 1.6 x 1.1 cm

Amethyst scepter (doubly terminated)

Origin: Madagascar

Sample size: 4.3 x 1.2 x 1.0 cm

Amethyst scepters and reverse scepters sitting on white/colourless modified rhombohedra of calcite

Origin: Esperanza mine, Potosi District, Potosi Department, Bolivia

Sample size: 7.0 x 5.0 x 3.6 cm

Amethyst/smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Goboboseb Mountain, Brandberg area, Uis District, Erongo Region, Namibia

Sample size: 4.4 x 2.5 x 1.7 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Ashaway Village, Hopkinton, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Ex. M. Dodge collection

Sample size: 2.9 x 1.5 x 1.4 cm

Amethyst/smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Crystal Park, Elkhorn, Montana, U.S.A.

Sample size: 2.7 x 1.3 x 1.1 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Ambohimasina, Madagascar

Sample size: 4.6 x 2.6 x 2.4 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Ambohimasina. Madagascar

Sample size: 4.5 x 1.6 x 1.4 cm

Amethyst scepter on quartz

Origin: Ambatondrazaka, Toamasina Province, Madagascar

Sample size: 5.8 x 2.9 x 3.0 cm

Smoky and amethyst quartz scepter

Origin: Washoe County, Nevada, U.S.A.

Ex. Roni and Bill Plavac and Marty Lewadny collections

Sample size: 8.4 x 4.3 x 3.3 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Simeone Quarry, Wrentham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Ex. M. Dodge collection

Sample size: 2.6 x 1.8 x 1.5 cm

Amethyst scepter

Origin: Ashaway Village, Hopkinton, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Ex. Marty Zinn collection

Sample size: 10.1 x 3.5 x 3 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

A large sceptred quartz crystal, the "head" opaque purple amethyst, the "stem" milky colourless quartz.

Origin: Mangatavohangy, Madagascar

Ex. Marvin Pearce coll.

Sample size: 10 x 7.5 x 19 cm

Sceptre amethyst

Origin: Tate Blvd Industrial Park, Hickory, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Sample size: 3.8 x 2.8 x 6.7 cm

Origin: Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

Sample size: 4.5 x 2.2 x 6 cm

Pale purple amethyst crystals forming a sceptre grouping

Origin: Daye, Hubei Province, China

Sample size: 3 x 3 x 5 cm

Slightly amethystine sceptered quartz crystals

Origin: D'Arcy, British Columbia, Canada

Sample size: 8.3 x 6.5 x 4 cm

Terminated loose scepter quartz crystal, transparent. The “amethyst head” of the crystal is nicely smoky to purple in colour, with the “stem” nearly colourless.

Origin: Crystal Park, Elkhorn Hot Springs Area, Beaverhead Co., Montana, U.S.A.

Sample size: 1.2 x 0.9 x 4.4 cm

Amethyst scepter on milky quartz

Origin: Madagascar

Sample size: 18 x 14 x 34 mm

Amethyst scepter on milky white quartz

Origin: Diamond Hill, Ashaway Village, Hopkinton, Washington Co., Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Sample size: 2 x 1.5 x 4.8 cm

Amethyst scepter on milky quartz

Origin: Denny Mountain, King Co., Washington, U.S.A.

Sample size: 8 x 7 x 36 mm

Scepter specimen with a dark smoky purple amethyst head and small white stem.

Origin: Madagascar

Sample size: 17 x 15 x 27 mm

Photo courtesy of:

Dan Weinrich

Very light green coloured quartz due to hedenbergite inclusions

Origin: Dalnegorsk, Russia

Sample size: 6 x 6 x 4 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Tom Loomis

Dakota Matrix Minerals

Doubly-terminated scepter with two large fluid/bitumen inclusions

Origin: Congli, China

Sample size: 9.4 x 2.2 x 1.9 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Origin: Shangbao Mine, Hunan Province, China

Sample size: 12.5 x 8 x 4 cm

Quartz (sceptred)

Origin: Shangbao Mine, Hunan Province, China

Sample size: 8.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm (top), 7 x 4.5 x 2.2 cm (middle), 12.5 x 8 x 4 cm (bottom)

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Quartz with scepters

Origin: Dugway, Juab Co., Utah, USA

Sample size: left 1.5 x 1 cm, middle 1 x 1.5 cm, right 1.5 x 1.5 cm

Scepter growth

Origin: Scepter Hill, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona, USA

Sample size: 1.5 cm crystal

Origin: Cavnic, Romania

Sample size: top 5 x 5 x 4 cm reveres scepters

Photo courtesy of:

Tom Loomis

Dakota Matrix Minerals

Revers sceptre

Origin: Montgomery County, Arkansas, U.S.A.

Sample size: 7 x 4.5 x 4 cm

Amethyst sceptre on quartz

Origin: Las Vigas, Veracruz, Mexico

Sample size: 4.5 x 4 x 2 cm

Sceptre quartz on quartz

Origin: Chihuahua, Mexico

Sample size: 4 x 3 x 2.5 cm

Tourmaline on scepter quartz

Origin: Aracui District, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 4 x 2.75 x 2 cm

Double scepter

Origin: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 2.4 x 0.8 x 0.7 cm

Quartz scepter with phantom

Origin: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 9.0 x 2.6 x 2.4 cm

Quartz scepter

Origin: Banska, Stavnica, Slovak Republic

Sample size: 3 x 2.1 x .7 cm

Quartz scepter

Origin: Arondu, Basha Valley, Baltistan, N.A., Pakistan

Sample size: 6.4 x 5.0 x 3.2 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Quartz (reverse scepters)

Origin: Parker Dam (Lk.Havasu), San Bernardino Co., California, U.S.A.

Owner: Milton Speckels

Microscopic image, 4.9 x

Reverse sceptre

Origin: New Mexico, U.S.A.

Owner: Milton Speckels

Microscopic image, 8.6 x

Photo courtesy of:

Milton Speckels

Photo-Atlas of Minerals

Scepter quartz

Origin: Fat Jack mine, Yavapai Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Sample size: 7 cm tall

This popular collecting area in the northwest is well known for its scepter quartz crystals. This example consists of a scepter quartz crystal, with a doubly terminated quartz crystal studded perpendicular along the termination.

Origin: Crystal Park, Elkhorn Hot Springs area, Beaverhead Co., Montana, USA

Sample size: 3.8 x 1.7 x 2.3 cm

Reverse scepter

Origin: Rist Mine, Alexander Co., North Carolina, U.S.A.

Sample size: 1.1 x 1.4 x 4 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Dan Weinrich

Quartz sceptre

Origin: Hiddenite, Alexander Co., North Carolina, U.S.A.

Owner: Lou Perloff

Microscopic image

Origin: Wickenburg, Maricopa Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Owner: Lou Perloff

Microscopic image

Photo courtesy of:

Lou Perloff

Photo-Atlas of Minerals

Transparent glassy scepter crystals of quartz to 6 mm in length

Origin: Silver King mine, Yuma Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Sample size: 4.5 x 2.3 x 1.5 cm

Origin: Silver King mine, Yuma Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Sample size: 2.5 x 3.5 cm

Scepter clear quartz crystals

Origin: Brandberg West, Namibia

Sample size: 8 x 6 x 5.5 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Dan Weinrich

Three quartz scepters, each with clear tips. There are numerous other milky quartz crystals in the group.

Origin: Liliana Mine, Chihuahua County, Chihuahua, Mexico

Ex. John Teague coll.

Sample size: 6.2 x 3.2 x 2.1 cm

Quartz scepter with both light amethyst and smoky colouration

Origin: Fat Jack Mine, Yavapi Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Ex. Mike Keim collection

Sample size: 3.1 x 1.5 x 1.2 cm

Photo courtesy of:

John Veevaert, Trinity Mineral Co

Origin: Pahroon, Afghanistan

Sample size: 2.9 x 1.8 x 1.6 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Smoky scepter quartz with hematite inclusions (and possibly anatase)

Origin: Brumado, Bahia, Brazil

Sample size: 5 x 3 x 2 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Tom Loomis

Dakota Matrix Minerals

Smoky quartz and amethyst scepter with large fluid inclusions

Origin: Brandberg, Erongo Mtns., Namibia

Sample size: 8.5 x 3.0 x 2.7 cm

Smoky quartz scepter with very light amethyst

Origin: Brandberg, Erongo Mtns., Namibia

Sample size: 4.5 x 3.4 x 1.3 cm

Smoky quartz double scepter

Origin: Pikes Peak Pluton Area, Park County, Colorado, U.S.A.

Ex. George Fisher collection

Sample size: 3.8 x 3.8 x 2.3 cm

Scepter smoky quartz

Origin: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 4.8 x 2.3 x 2.2 cm

Sceptered partially smoky quartz with schorl

Origin: Barra do Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Samnple size: 5.5 x 5.4 x 3.3 cm

Smoky quartz sceptre

Origin: Hallelujah Junction, Nevada, U.S.A.

Sample size: 8.2 x 2.3 x 1.6 cm

Smoky quartz sceptred on quartz on remnants of an indicolite crystal

Origin: Mt. Mica, Paris, Maine (circa late 1800's)
ex. Augustus Hamlin, ex. Harvard Museum

Sample size: 15.6 x 8.5 x 7.8 cm

Smoky quartz scepter

Origin: North End of the Peterson Mountain Range, Hallellujah Junction, Washob County, California (right on the CA/NV border), U.S.A.

Sample size: 7.2 x 4.0 x 3.7 cm

Smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Goboboseb Mountain, Brandberg area, Uis District, Erongo Region, Namibia

Sample size: 4.0 x 2.5 x 1.7 cm

Three fine loose single terminated sceptered quartz crystals. The "heads" of each are slightly "smoky amethystine" in color, with colorless "stems".

Origin: Fat Jack Mine, Lane Mountain, Crown King, Pine Grove District, Bradshaw Mts (Bradshaw Range), Yavapai Co., Arizona, USA

Sample size: largest 29 mm in length

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Smoky quartz scepter on milky quartz

Origin: Linópolis, Divino das Laranjeiras, Governador Valadares, Rio Doce, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil

Sample size: 5.8 x 5.2 x 11.6 cm

Scepter quartz specimen consisting of a colourless translucent base, the top with a scepter "head" of very dark smoky quartz crystals.

Origin: Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil

Sample size: 3.3 x 3.2 x 7.7 cm

Smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Fat Jack Mine, Lane Mountain, Crown King, Pine Grove District, Bradshaw Mts (Bradshaw Range), Yavapai Co., Arizona, U.S.A.

Sample size: 9 x 5 x 26 mm

Photo courtesy of:

Dan Weinrich

Smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Osilo, North Sardinia, Italy

Ex. Giorgio Spiga collection

Sample size: 3 x 2.5 x 2 cm

Smoky quartz scepter

Origin: Cong Ly, Hunan Province, China

Sample size: 6.5 x 2.7 x 2 cm

Photo courtesy of:

John Veevaert, Trinity Mineral Co

Orange coloured quartz scepters

Origin: Jinkohe, Sichuan Province, China

Sample size: 12.4 x 12.2 x 8.9 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky

Origin: Niyit, Bruck, Baltistan, Pakistan

Sample size: 2.4 x 1.7 x 1.1 cm

Origin: Barra do Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 1.9 x 1.9 x 1.2 cm (top), 2.8 x 1 x 1 cm (bottom)

Tourmaline (sceptered) on quartz

Origin: Pederneira Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Sample size: 11.5 x 4.3 x 3.6 cm

Tourmaline scepter

Origin: Paprok, Kunar Province, Nuristan, Afghanistan

Sample size: 2.5 x 2.2 x 2 cm

Tourmaline scepter

Origin: Barra de Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ex. John & Linda Stimson collection

Sample size: 3.5 x 2.1 x 1.9 cm

Photo courtesy of:

Rob Lavinsky