Updated 1d ago
5
Azurite pocket with Malachite (late 1800s)$7,500.00
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This amazing Bisbee specimen is both a specimen and a lapidary work of art, at the same time. This style of gorgeous azurite was so rare in Bisbee, and seen today generally only in old museum collections such as the Smithsonian an AMNH in NYC. It speaks for itself - the subtle swirls and shapes of azurite, nestled in this complete pocket, defy belief that this could have been preserved, undamaged, from the late 1800s until the present day. It is a unique specimen further refined by the art of a talented lapidary artist into this carved piece. Polished expertly on all sides while leaving the crystallized (botryoidal) pockets intact by master lapidary Bud Standley, who specializes in working with copper minerals, this is a difficult to make masterpiece of azurite carving. A native of Arizona, lapidary artist Bud Standley grew up near the copper mines. He learned to carve gemstones in 1971, at age 19; and did all the work for the Larson family when they found the Ben Williams Bisbee collection; and also for Wayne Thompson with Morenci azurite. Ben Williams became the General Manager of the Copper Queen from 1882 to 1889 and had a stunning personal collection that was only relatively recently brought to market by the Larson's circa 2000; after staying in a family descendant's attic for nearly a century. While they sold much of the collection, this update features pieces from the Ben Williams collection, from the late 1800s, that were kept back another 2 decades in the collection of Bill Larson as a special suite. This was one of the flagship azurite specimens in the suite, never before offered for sale - and to my eye, the most unique. 158 grams.
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