Copper with Prehnite (historic specimen - 1874)

Item Description

A wonderful antique Copper specimen from the Phoenix Mine in Michigan featuring a sculptural, arborescent group of crystals with a dark patina on the surface. The back of the specimen is coated by white Prehnite, creating a stark contrast and a very appealing overall presentation. This piece was dated from 1874 on the label and comes from the collection of Clarence Sweet Bement (1843–1923), a manufacturer in Philadelphia, who spent 35 years of his time, money, and effort in acquiring his magnificent mineral collection. He began to collect minerals shortly after the end of the Civil War, in about 1866; continually adding to it until its purchase from him by the banker and philanthropist J.P. Morgan in 1901, who presented it as a gift to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) that same year. Bement sold his collection only after his eyesight began to fail him (Seaman, 1968). The Bement collection is considered to be the finest mineral collection ever assembled in the United States (MATRIX, 1989a). The mineral Bementite was named after him in 1887.
A great historic specimen from 150 years ago!