Chrysocolla (polished)

Item Description

From the old display lapidary collection at the Rice Museum, this is a spectacular, fine, rare quality of 'gem silica chrysocolla' from the finest location in America for it. The entire piece is translucent, pure blue of the best and deepest color saturation, and worth a fortune if cut into gemstones and cabochon as this is literally the top color and quality of "gel" silica you can ask for. It is a mix of chrysocolla and silica which has infused into it, giving it the hardness of quartz, which is why it takes a polish. Specimens of this size, this quality...they are literally unheard of in this day and age. I am told they date generally to the 1960s and before. These are two rare now to be seen on the mass market, but at one time they were more well known. Among collectors, a nodule like this would be worthy of any Arizona collection, and I hope it is preserved as a specimen although the cutting value is astronomical. The cut stones from such material sell by the carat, not even by the gram. It is literally the most premium American Southwest carving rough you can ask to obtain, and is a featured item in this auction. At 437 grams (nearly 1 pound in weight), it is hefty and beautiful, and carries a Rice Museum exhibition label; as they formerly exhibited a larger amount of lapidary objects. Donated by Richard and Helen Rice to the Rice Museum at its formation. Valued $10,000-plus simply for cutting value.