AGAU-29
Copper
Champion Mine, Painesdale, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA
Small Cabinet, 8.1 x 3.4 x 3.4 cm
SOLD
The Champion Mine coppers are quite distinct among worldwide coppers, as you can see here from the style of copper shown. The copper crystals are twinned, and thickly intergrown like in a weaving, all supporting the others to make for a robust, skyscraper-bones-like cluster. A slight cuprite patina gives this one its typical reddish color. To the copper-lover, the Champion Mine pieces (such as this one) are absolutely distinct and recognizable. They seldom turn up for sale, only in old collections. This is aparticularly gracile-looking and attrractive example with its original patina, whereas many have been acid-cleaned over the years to make them in my opinion, too bright.