SiS: 2 - TONE GREEN & BLACK DENDRITE African Petrified Wood Round - ULTRA - RARE
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1011849 |
LAST ONE! This is the final slab from this incredible, on eof a kind log! We're watching spring arrive in Oregon today and we're celebrating all that fresh green growth with some of our best work so far this year! This one is so incredibly beautiful that I polished it on both sides!! This is a particularly unusual fossil that has me stumped and the log reminds me of the turquoise shaded pieces we offered last year. ...;The green shades in this one are nothing like I've previously cut from this location - it's a deep rich shamrock green laced through a delectable minty green shade that is just breathtaking! I've been fortunate to cut quite a bit of this material but I've seen nothing like this to date. This unusual log has a striated bark rind that is very distinct from any other petrified wood fossil I've seen from this area. I was fascinated enough by the exterior that I held off cutting it. When the first slab came off I couldn't believe what I was seeing! This petrified forest has produced some truly stellar specimens but this 2-tone green color infused with black dendrites is absolutely unprecedented! The log produced a few slabs and I'm busy working on the rest, but this one was one of the first and thickest and I finished it first. The growth structure is well preserved in virtually the entire face, but the piece is beyond my identification skills other than to note that it appears to be an ancient conifer of some sort. I can make out what I think may well be the kinds of rays found in Woodworthia amongst the growth structure, but I'm far from certain as to the identification. I don't see the spine scars on the outer rind that I'd normally expect to with Woodworthia but these can sometimes wear away from erosion before petrification so it's not definitive. What I do know for certain is that this gorgeous specimen is preserved in a colorful agate that gave way to natural desiccation cracks in the center as the log dried before petrifying. I've stabilized any that risked the integrity of the piece but it's largely solid and polished beautifully. While the species is an alluring mystery, the real appeal is in the unprecedented color. You could collect for a lifetime and not see anything like this again! This richly patterned and colored round is polished with our trademark finish - it looks like it's wet and the color is much better in person than in the photo! These are true museum pieces and not something I expect to see again. Last year I had the chance to purchase a strange looking log that had an unusual, light patina over the entire exterior. One small chip revealed a dark green color that was unlike anything I'd seen before so I decided to buy it and cut it. The shockingly rich green colors dominated, but there were innumerable other shades in each one. It was pure chance that the fellow who ran into the log ran into my importer friend or it would probably have been tumbled or sold as tourist trinkets. He's certain there will be no further deep pit excavating going on where the log was found and that what he had is all there will be of this incredibly colorful log. I had to pay a premium for the log, but after cutting it I'm glad I stuck with it. He knew what he had was unique and none of us would likely ever see it again. Despite the insanely high cost, I didn't really have to think twice about it. I've been collecting for over 20 years now and I knew what I was looking at was truly special, but it wasn't until I cut it that I felt like I'd really discovered buried treasure!! I did my best to ID this one, but other than "a really old conifer like tree" I'm not sure what I can say with certainty. I'll stay in touch with other collectors who pick one up and if anyone gets a better identification I'll certainly share it. This one is as interesting as it is beautiful!Zimbabwe, Africa, has been producing some fine petrified wood specimens for years. The wood is typically green, brown and black and exceptionally well preserved on the exterior but never this rich combination of mint and emerald green shades. The interior preservation and micro-structure in these slabs is the best I've ever seen from the area aside from the prolific Woodworthia most often seen from the region. In this case the amazing color is simply beyond words and must be seen in person to really appreciate it. This log is very highly agatized and once properly cut, ground and polished in our shop it took a magnificent wet looking polish! Many have little fortification agate patterns right in the gemmy fossil face - it's just breathtaking! If the timeless mystery of this piece isn't enough for you, then I'm certain the colorful, natural, gemmy beauty of it will be. The colors are intense and unmatched by any location I've ever seen, and the wood grain is unique to this exotic species. This round is cut from the center of a very solid log. It's really a nice piece, but what else would you expect from a business named "Sticks-in-Stones"?! We've applied all of our considerable lapidary skills to bring out a mirror finish and produce a specimen worthy of display in your own collection. This piece measures about 4" across the widest point across the mirror polished face and is cut about 0.37" thick. Weight is 0.32 lbs. Stands sold separately. Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary is happily providing UPS shipping to greatly reduce shipping charges on large rock orders. We will combine all of your purchases from our shop to bring you the greatest possible value in fine Lapidary & stone collectibles!
