Silver var. Kongsbergite

Item Description

A rare locality piece from an ancient silver mining region: this CABINET SIZED ore matirix is covered on one side with "birds nests" of wire silver. If we read the old label right, though, there is a mix of silver and kongsbergite (silver alloyed with mercury). In shallow vugs are spongy masses of brownish gray kongsbergite which are closely associated with native silver "buttons", to 1.5 cm across. The matrix is a reddish brown limestone that contrasts nicely. Konsgsbergite is a rare variety of silver with 5% mercury. The label also notes the presence of minor chlorargyrite and is dated August 3, 1970, from the collection of Juan Ibanez Maroto. What a wonderful, rich, interesting piece! We simply have not seen the like for sale. Please note that hand delivery is preferred, somehow, as the silver is loosely held on and does not seem to have been stablilised with light glue (which I can do), so it wiggles a little bit.