Serpentine ps. Olivine

Item Description

The large, well-formed yellow-green prismatic crystal, with its complex forms, has been completely pseudomorphed by serpentine through post-hydrothermal alteration. Off-white to tan serpentine needles create a delicate lacework at the base of the crystal and extend up some of the prism faces. This piece is an absolute classic, with its locality referenced in the older "Dana's System of Mineralogy" texts. The terms "chrysolite" and "chrysolit," found in these and other older mineralogy texts, are connected to this specimen's historical context. Likely dating from the late 18th to very early 19th century, this piece hails from the serpentine deposits at Snarum, Norway, where large olivine crystals were once found in moderate abundance. A truly unique and historically significant piece. Ex Bill & Anne Cook, Jingnan (Tom) Zhang.