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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Ethnographical / Rare Brecciated Opal with a Rich Web of Red Hematite...
An imposing sculpture of natural history, carved from a massive block of brecciated opal from Madagascar. Weighing over 23 kg and standing 53 cm tall, this specimen has been skillfully worked in free form and mirror-polished to highlight its dramatic geological structure. The surface reveals a fascinating contrast between the creamy opaline matrix and a complex network of ferrous inclusions, creating a piece with great visual and scientific impact. The specimen is distinguished by its common opal matrix, whose tones range from ivory white to pale beige, with delicate bluish-gray and pinkish tints visible in some areas. This light base is crisscrossed by a dense lattice of veins forming an abstract, organic pattern. The colors of these inclusions, attributable mainly to hematite and other iron oxides, range from rust red to burnt orange, from intense ochre to almost black brown. The impeccable polishing gives the surface a vitreous luster, allowing light to penetrate slightly into the more translucent layers and enhancing every detail of the natural mosaic. The brecciated texture is the chronicle of a violent and ancient geological event. The original rock was fragmented by intense tectonic pressures, creating a multitude of clasts, i.e., angular fragments. Subsequently, silica-rich hydrothermal fluids and iron minerals percolated through these fractures. As they cooled, these fluids deposited new opal and oxides, cementing the fragments together and creating the dark veins we admire today. The result is a 'breccia', a fossil testimony to destruction and geological reassembly. The free, slender, vertical shape gives the specimen a sculptural presence of great elegance. It is not simply a mineral, but a work of natural art that engages with the surrounding space. The flat base ensures perfect stability, making it ideal as a focal element in a refined interior design, in a professional studio, a gallery, or as a centerpiece of a contemporary Wunderkammer. Each side offers a different perspective, inviting tactile and visual exploration. For a mineral collector, this piece represents a notable opportunity due to its monumental dimensions and the exemplary quality of brecciation. Brecciated opal specimens of this size and with such a well-defined and contrasted pattern are rare. The Madagascar provenance, an island renowned for its unique geological treasures, adds further value and interest to this magnificent fragment of Earth's history. Technical details Name: Brecciated Opal with Hematite Provenance: Madagascar Dimensions: 530 x 340 x 70 mm Weight: 23400 g Work: Free-form polished
Estimate:£3,548.31
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Estimate:
£3,548.31
OCT 17 | 10:00 PM
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