SOLD
MD-112809
Vanadinite, Psilomelane
Taouz, Er Rachidia Province, Meknes-Tafilalet Region, Morocco
Large Cabinet, 24.5 x 16.6 x 9.0 cm
SOLD
A very rare piece today not only for size but for overall aspect, from the early 1980s finds at Taouz which preceded major finds at Mibladen that later made people forget about these small finds out in the further desert. However, these older pieces are of a unique style with startling contrast when on this great velvety matrix, were more rare when found, more valuable when found, harder to get then and still rarer today. I have seen pictures of this forbidding locality in a slideshow by Vic Yount, recently, and let me tell you I am amazed we have ANYTHING from there. The place is near the OPEN border with Libya. It consists of a warren of natural caves accessed by dangerous un-supported shafts dug by hand. And it is in the middle of a very hot desert! I am shocked a large specimen like this survived unscathed. The velvety surface is especially prone to damage and you have to think about the care taken to get it from the mine to the market and then through 30 years of collectors hands. Charlie bought it soon after it was found at Tucson of 1984, directly from Vic Yount who handled most of them at the time. It is a dramatic display piece and happens also to be really good for what it is. This is a key piece form the Charlie Freed Collection out of Los Angeles.