Psilomelane with amazing old labels

Item Description

Excellent, and quite substantial, specimen of the manganese oxide Psilomelane, from the Schwarzenberg area in Saxony. There are actually two generations here, with a sparkly, almost stalactitic second generation of botryoids sitting on top of a botryoidal layer with a rich, black matte finish. Adding to the aesthetics and interest are the few areas where the botryoids are exposed, clearly and vividly showing the attractive, radial growth of the Psilomelane. These pieces are part of a century-old Italian collection that was recently acquired. Its historic nature, aside from the sheer age of the specimens, is reflected in how dramatically geopolitical borders have changed since these labels were created. 730 grams, about 2 pounds in weight! this is a hefty, big, showy, sparkly old classic you would not expect to see!