Azurite and Malachite (late 1800s)

$1,250.00

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The ArkenstoneFeatured

3,403 for sale·Member since 2026

Two "eyeballs" or "targets" of intense blue azurite headline the eye appeal of this amazing, historic thumbnail specimen - the only thumbnail sized specimen kept in this suite as it passed from Ben Williams to the Larson family and now to market. The piece is a polished slice of late-1800s classic azurite from the famous Bisbee Mine showing the famous patterning it was known for at the time - and never found again. Tilted back a bit, it does fit in a standard TN box for display; but it could also stand upright and be a bit taller. The slice is polished expertly on both sides by master lapidary Bud Standley, who specializes in working with copper minerals. 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. 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. 6 grams.