Malachite ps. Azurite, with Olivenite (circa 1929)

Item Description

Even for Tsumeb, a land of combination specimens, this is a unique piece! Found in 1929, this classic Malachite after Azurite pseudomorph was originally in the significant collection of Wilhelm Kegel, Director of Mining Operations at Tsumeb from 1924 to 1933. It is a very unique style, of which we have never seen such a good example! The Malachite replaced azurite but as with some of the old 1920s era specimens, it exhibits an attractive radial-growth pattern in several places along the surface; and the quintessential, vibrant sheen adds more beauty. These are distinct from later finds. Some of the deep-blue Azurite from the initial, parallel crystals remain inside; but what really makes this unique is a liberal coating of lustrous, deep-green Olivenite microcrystals along one edge and the one side of the piece. It looks like micros of green quartz, but it is olivenite! The exceptional provenance, as well as the aesthetics, make this old-time, small-cabinet specimen a keeper. Dr. Pohl purchased a group of minerals all from the Kegel collection, from a German dealer in the 1990s, as a lot (handwritten label and her catalog attest to this, and others are well documented from this purchase in the collection as well).