Copper pseudomorph after Azurite (''rose'') (rare material)

Item Description

I genuinely love these unique beautiful specimens for the simple fact that this might be the only locality where a native element replaces a secondary carbonate derived originally from the same element (Copper begat Azurite and then back to Copper). These wonderful Copper "roses" are instantly recognizable for their gorgeous form and sheer visceral allure. The first thing that I notice is the wonderful patina on the piece. The bladed crystals that once were Azurite are very discernible, and not tightly "jumbled" together. The oxidation of green Malachite in certain spot helps bring all of the individual blades of this specimen into focus. The piece actually has a bit of matrix, which is also rare for this material, and there is no damage that I can find. Many of these gorgeous pseudomorphs date back well over a century when they were collected by George English and A.E. Foote in the 1890's and were sold to Eastern collectors and museums along with European collectors. These pieces are to my knowledge unique in their aspect, form, and size compared to other any other Azurite pseudomorphs. This is certainly a good sized piece for the locality, larger than most you'll see, and it fine quality in terms of form and sharpness. One rarely sees the marvelous specimens on the market these days, and if you're a fan of secondary ore minerals, native metals or attractive pseudomorphs, do NOT pass up the chance to get a really good example of this famous material for your collection. Valued around $1,800.