Chrysocolla with Malachite

Item Description

This is a great old-time gem from Bisbee, Arizona, one of the great copper mining districts in the United States. This gem features two colorful copper-bearing species, which are well-known from Arizona. This gem is a classic "Pear" cabochon cut ston featuring a combination of green-blue Chrysocolla with dark forest green and dark green colored Malachite. This stone has excellent patterning and consistency of color throughout. One doesn't honestly see a lot of Bisbee gems on the market, and this is a large sized stone, certainly worth picking up if you collect material from the United States. This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, including Bisbee, the Ray Mine, Miami mines, and the Peridot finds on Indian lands in the 1950s-1970s. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special material, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.