Native Copper with drill scar (rare)

Item Description

A true, old-time, Michigan Copper Country mining artifact. A striking, flattened, radial, drill bit scar is featured on one end of the sculptural CABINET native copper specimen. The slightly folded scar is 6.5 cm across and indicative of primitive hand drills used prior to 1900. Seldom preserved. The Kearsarge Mines were organized in 1886 and produced intermittently until 1956. They were the source of many of the very best Michigan silvers. The note on the label indicates that the piece was collected in the mines by well-known geologist/dealer/collector, Ross Lillie, in 1988. Undoubtably old-time material, that sat around all those years! The style of drilling really dates it and puts a historic shroud on the piece. Interesting, we thought!