OB16A-61
Azurite and Malachite on Cerussite
Broken Hill, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
Cabinet, 9.8 x 6.7 x 5.0 cm
Ex. Dr. Ed David; Clarence Bement; Herb Obodda; American Museum of Natural History
SOLD
This classic old-time piece from Broken Hill has splendent, dark, navy-blue Azurite crystals richly filling the vug in a sturdy, massive to crystalline Cerussite matrix. The lustrous Azurites have an "electric-blue" gemminess along the edges under bright light. The Malachites are in attractive spheres and a light green coating, and the matrix is actually coated by super-fluorescent Calcite. An excellent Azurite from this famed locale, the crystals reach up to about 1.8 cm tall. On top of being an important and historic piece with loads of aesthetics, the provenance is unbelievable: A.E. Foote to the great New York collector Clarence Bement in 1899, then to the AMNH through the great financier JP Morgan (who bought the Bement collection and donated it!). Fast forward from 1910 to the year 1983 when it was traded with Herb Obodda and then sold to New Jersey collector, Dr. Ed David. Incredible and highly desirable history and provenance simply add to the piece itself, which stands on its own merit for significant size and aesthetics.