Lazurite (Lapis) ps. Phlogopite on Calcite - image 1

Lazurite (Lapis) ps. Phlogopite on Calcite - image 2

Lazurite (Lapis) ps. Phlogopite on Calcite

$4,500.00

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The ArkenstoneFeatured

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Perched aesthetically on white marble (calcite), and contrasting beautifully, is a starkly displayed royal blue lazurite pseudomorph after phlogopite from Ladjuar Medam, Sar-e-Sang, Afghanistan. While these exist and have been seen from a few finds over the years, such sharp and complete crystals are fairly uncommon, and this dates to a notable find of the early 2000s. The form of this royal blue crystal looks like lapis in color and the eye immediately fixates on the royal blue color. The shape, however, looks nothing like a lazurite crystals because it is a faithfully preserved, near parallel grouping of the crystals of what were, originally, phlogopite! It is a truly unique and rare replacement, known only from this one location and from a few finds here. The primary crystal cluster measures 3.7 cm long and 1.8 cm across. There is also an adjacent, well-formed, 1.1 cm pseudomorph below the main "cluster" and a 5 mm crystal juxtaposed nar the top. All of these crystals have the characteristic outward form of phlogopite, but have been replaced by royal blue lazurite! The crystals are complete all around and definitely the wrong shape for lazurite, so it tricks the eye. This is one of the sharpest, most pristine, most colorful, and simply dramatic examples we have seen after watching these literally for decades, and even getting Herb Obodda's personal examples in his own collection (2008). It has simply a great contrast, balance and composition too, aside from the intellectual interest! Illustrated in Collecting Pseudomorphs: The Changelings of Mineralogy (Mineralogical Record, Jan 2025) on page 88. Also illustrated in ExtraLapis #43: Pseudomorphs. Comes with a custom lucite display base. Laszlo Kupi photo.