ART-12
Aquamarine on Muscovite
Nagar, Hunza Valley, Gilgit District, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Cabinet, 14.0 x 12.3 x 6.7 cm
SOLD
At first glance, you might think from the photos this would be a miniature - to have such balance and proportion is after all unlikely in a large specimen. Yet, at 1500 grams and 6 inches in length, its the size of a large grapefruit or small melon! This doubly-terminated "cannon" shaped aquamarine is truly a beast, but an aesthetic one despite its size. I, and several other dealer/friends who have seen much of what Nagar has produced and sent to the European and US market, would go so far as so think it ranks up there among the top five to ten specimens from the region for overall quality and aesthetics. This is one of two great specimens that came together from a single pocket in 2007. The piece is shockingly complete all around, with no repairs, and only a small ding and a shallow contact/damaged spot on the lower-rear tip of the bottom - totally facing away from any view. This doubly-terminated crystal is perched on a natural pedestal of bladed, roseate muscovite matrix. This "makes" the piece...you need that natural pedestal to distance it from all the singles out there. However, the unusally high glassy luster, geometry, and gemminess (especially for the size, as most large Nagar aquas go more opaque) are also superior. Gamini, who ignored price and my own criteria when picking pieces he felt were artistic, and who hasn't spent years trying to judge and grade Nagar aquas, went right to this one the first time he saw it in my case - while ignoring quite a few other aquas, some pricier. Price includes specimen, painting, and custom lucite base for display. NOTE. A professional photo by Joe Budd, on gradient background, was recently added. THIS SHOWS THE TRUE COLOR AND luster, which was very difficult for us to photograph with normal equipment as it is so bright and lustrous!