Cuprite & Quartz on Copper (pre 1859)

Item Description

OLD-TIME, pre 1859, rich and showy, two-sided small cabinet combination from the Wheal Virgin Mine of Cornwall, part of the group of mines amalgamated into the Great Consolidated Mines in 1780 (MINDAT). The sculptural, tabular copper matrix is richly peppered on both sides with small, lustrous, translucent, metallic, wine-red Cuprite crystals and Quartz crystals and crystal sections. The cuprite crystals GLOW with cherry-red color under bright light. Mineral specimens attributed to Wheal Virgin are very uncommon and cuprite specimens are VERY RARE, as the MINDAT Photo Gallery for the species and locality has NO examples. Formerly in the R.F. Denicourt Collection. Ex John Whatley Collection, a well-known Georgia collector (1939-2022) and acquired via a swap from Credo Schwab in 1988. Rare, perhaps unique combination material from the long extinct locale. A MUST for the species or locality collector.