Chalcopyrite var. Blister Copper

Unknown Owner

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As Cornish Blister Copper's go (this is a variety of colloform, botryoidal Chalcopyrite) this is not your showy, highly polished piece, but rather a more important historical locality specimen. This is because on the back is affixed a Francis Henry Butler (1849-1935) dealer label, documenting it as "Blister Copper" from Wheal Uny, Cornwall. Wheal Uny lies to the south of the famous mining town of Redruth and on the eastern side of Carn Brea hill but is not generally talked about with regard to Blister Copper. Butler's address at Brompton Road, London, but without a building number, indicates that it dates to the 1910s or 1920s. The specimen itself is a good size to fit in the palm of your hand, so small cabinet, and is covered in smaller botryoidal protrusions exhibiting a microcrystalline sparkling surface, rather than smoothly polished. Underneath and to the sides the classic layered colloform banding is well displayed.