Azurite and Cerussite - circa 1929

Item Description

An old classic style of azurite from this famous mine, well known from the 1920s and earlier: this interesting and attractive miniature was originally in the significant and historical collection of Wilhelm Kegel, Director of Mining Operations at Tsumeb from 1924 to 1933. The deep-blue Azurites are prismatic and unusually thick, with good terminations and an even better-than-average luster for crystals of that era. In association are grey-tan, translucent Cerussite clusters to 1 cm. The Cerussites are not super-well defined, but serve to create a very nice combination. An especially aesthetic specimen for this particular era of mining, it has good balance and form complemented by the quality of the Azurites. According to the handwritten label here, it was mined in 1929, and from the collection with the most important provenance of the day - a large portion of which Dr. Pohl purchased when it came to market.