Silver wires and Acanthite on Sphalerite (old classic)

Item Description

An extremely rich and showy silver ore specimen from the famous mines at Kongsberg. The sculptural specimen of coasely crystalliine sphalerite and country rock hosts an amazing display of silver and acanthite. The crest of the piece has a row of striking, hackly, coarsely crystalline, silver clusters. Hidden beneath a 2.2 cm "cap" of sphalerite-coated silver in the center of the piece is a dense nest of thick silver "ropes" to 9 mm in diameter! There are also curved and curled silver wires in this area. A really nifty about 1 cm, curved and ribbed, silver wire is tucked in to a vug on the lower left-hand edge of the piece. Much of the silver has a gorgeous, brassy, patina. Splendent, cubic acanthite on sphalerite is concentrated on the center-right of the specimen. This is an old-time and excellent specimen from this historic district and comes from the University of Cincinnati, John Durkos and Bob Hauck Collections. The Durkos card, with a 1966 date valued the piece at a seemingly paltry $66. But this was NOT cheap in those days, especially at a museum liquidation sale for what was surely an uncleaned hunk of ore to all appearances then! valued today at $2000, or more. IMPRESSIVE in person - 356 grams (or nearly a pound)