Malachite: Bisbee, Warren District, Cochise County, Arizona USA

Description

Species: Malachite

Locality: Bisbee, Warren District, Cochise County, Arizona USA

Dimensions: 19 x 11.5 x 10 cm.

SOLD

This is a beautiful, vibrant forest-green, lustrous “museum-size” malachite specimen from Arizona’s iconic Bisbee District. Large cabinet-size Bisbee malachite specimens of this quality are not at all common on the market these days, and this is a showy, large, very aesthetic example. A fine American mineral classic in great condition. The specimen has a wonderful 3-dimensionality, with bubbly, botryoidal, “hard-shell” style malachite. It appears that this specimen may have been very lightly buffed/polished, as was common with large specimens of this style of malachite in the late 19th century when this was likely collected. Also has several small sawn areas, where small amounts of malachite were likely removed shortly after it was found for lapidary purposes, as this material was and is highly-prized as lapidary material. Both of these features (the polishing and the small cut sections) are subtle and historical in nature, and in my opinion add a charming “authenticity” to this very fine historical classic. Annette Slade photo.