rare Cubic Silver crystals - Ex. Bosch, Smithsonian

Item Description

A very rare, sharply crystallized cubic silver thumbnail specimen from Kongsberg. The crystals have a nice patina and the large crystal at the top is 7 mm. This superb old-timer was in the Carl Bosch, Smithsonian and Carl Davis Collections. Carl Bosch was a very prominent European collector who lived from 1874-1940. He collected only killers and best of species that he could obtain. Unlike many of his time, he ALSO collected superb thumbnails and paid special attention to them, so even his small items are very good by today's more stringent standards of aesthetics. The Smithsonian purchased his collection in 1965, which numbered 25,000 mineral specimens! The Bosch number of 93 on the bottom of the piece indicates a very early and old piece from his collection! (Certainly prior to 1900). Even in small sizes, He never collected junk - and this is a superb competition-level thumbnail example of this rare silver habit. After being deaccessioned from the Smithsonian, it ended up with my mentor Carl Davis in his well known thumbnail collection in Ohio, where it remained until recently (over 30 years). Outstanding provenance and quality. AGAIN, NOTE THAT THESE ARE SHARP, REAL CRYSTALS FROM KONGSBERG ARE MUCH MORE RARE and HIGHLY VALUED, THAN THE WIRES IT IS ACTUALLY MORE COMMONLY KNOWN FOR! Valued at $1000 Minimum.