Cuprite on Copper - circa 1800s

Item Description

A classic, old-time combination piece consisting of lustrous, wine-red Cuprite microcrystals on Copper, from the historic Gwennap-St. Day area of Cornwall. The Copper is in a solid, extremely uniform, 1.4 cm layer, and all along the edges of this layer you find the drusy Cuprites. Where the Copper opens up into better-developed, crystalline pockets, both the Coppers and the Cuprites show equal development, being 1-2 mm in size, euhedral, lustrous, and deep red (for the Cuprites) when illuminated sufficiently. Both species are rare from this locality, so this large miniature is an exceptional combination. Recently deaccessed from the Tim Sherburn collection.