Lazurite

Unknown Owner

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This miniature is a stunning specimen of rich, ultramarine-blue lazurite (a member of the sodalite group), with minor white marble matrix. The major crystal is 2 cm across and perfectly exposed on matrix with several other smaller lazurite crystals displayed around it for great presentation. The color is robust and deep, and the crystal forms are very good. Ultramarine originates from powdered Afghan lazurite used in artists’ palettes for hundreds of years, and indeed in make-up as well. It is a very aesthetic piece with distinctly angular, equant-to-elongate crystals. The matrix has a soft, beige to blue-white fluorescence. This is old material originally brought out by Herb Obodda in the 1990s or early 2000s, and quality such as this has not been seen in decades. Comes with a custom lucite base as it came from us, in the early 2000s finds.