Olivenite var. 'Wood Copper' (circa 1800s) ex. Richard Barstow Coll

Item Description

A weird-looking and rare old-timer from the famous Wheal Unity of Cornwall. Called "wood copper", this strange olivenite varietal shows massive, banded, fibrous structure, resembling wood. The nubby, undulating carpet-like surface of acicular crystals is underlain by banded, multi-hued green, olivenite with fine chatoyancy. Strikingly, the olivenite rests on a highly unusual brecciated quartz and olivenite matrix. Certainly one of the most unusual looking, very rare, rich and desirable specimens you will see from Cornwall. Value?? We have seen similar but smaller pieces at the Munich show priced from 1000 to over 1500 pounds, fairly erratically, with English dealers there. A must for the locality or species collector! NOTE this is from the old dealer stock of well-known dealer Richard Barstow. Dick Barstow was one of the most noted UK collectors (and dealers) ever, despite a tragic early death.