SiS: BIG & GORGEOUS 13 " SEQUOIA DRIFTWOOD Rogers Mtn. - ESTATE COLLECTON
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:44326593 |
Here is a world class, really beautiful and particularly gemmy example of one of the most amazing petrified wood treasures you'll ever see! This is another one of those richly colored petrified sequoia slabs from the Willamette Valley right here in Oregon. The wood grain is easily identifiable as a piece of ancient sequoia and the stone represents one of the most gemmy fossil woods found anywhere. It's preserved in a particularly high grade gem quality agate that is p...olished to a liquid looking finish to reveal an uncommonly nice natural artwork. This specimen came out of an estate collection and is a good example of the museum grade specimens the previous owner acquired over a lifetime of collecting. If there were only one petrified wood I could ever cut again, it would be these magnificent petrified driftwood nodules from Rodgers Mountain. They really are gem grade fossils and the polish to a degree that you will simply have to see to believe! This one shows the wood structure so intricately preserved it deserves to be shown off and admired for the ancient treasure it is!NOTE: This specimen was acquired by Jim Leicht and became part of his amazing collection. The tags on the back were placed there by Jim and I've left them there for posterity and provenance.This is a truly amazing, beautifully prepared petrified wood specimen that has been cut and prepared with skill. This slab was part of the Jim Leicht estate collection. Jim lived in the foothills of Mt. Hood in Oregon. During his long collecting career he amassed not one but two world class petrified wood collections. His first collection he sold and donated in the late 20th century to focus his passion on spheres. But even his sphere collection filled with petrified wood and his tastes and interests shifted again to the pursuit of world class petrified wood collector pieces. This piece comes from that second collecting effort which itself spanned more than 30 years. I had the good privilege of knowing Jim and we'd trade from time to time for pieces neither of us could live without. This slab is one of the few pieces from that collection to finally make it back into circulation for a new collector to cherish. Jim collected petrified wood from all over the world but, like many, was particularly fond of the gem grade wood found in the Pacific Northwest. I visited Jim's collection a few times over the years and always admired the breadth of his incredible specimens. He was "old school" and much preferred to keep track of other collectors and collections with frequent phone calls, which proved to be an invaluable source of tips and leads not just for him, but for everyone fortunate enough to be on his call list! Those of us who knew him will miss his friendly, passionate view of both the hobby and those who participate in it. The bulk of his collection remains in the hands of another private collector who has asked me to assist with offering a few duplicates to balance the collection.This slab came from an ancient petrified driftwood deposit in Oregon's Willamette River Valley. It produced mostly chunks but with beautiful creamy rinds and highly agatized interiors. The wood grew in an ancient conifer forest - in this case a giant sequoia. This entire deposit is a giant driftwood cache that petrified eons ago. The exterior is actually as interesting as the polished face is, showing nice weathering and a smooth water worn texture. It's a really nicely preserved piece of petrified wood, with absolutely gorgeous gem quality agate in rich dark colors preserving this ancient fossil. You can easily see the highly detailed, perfectly preserved wood grain with naked eye and the honeycomb like cell structure under magnification. It's a great specimen and something that the fossil collector or simple stone lover will really enjoy.This is a much larger than average sized piece that's been cut with the grain and then polished to show off all the gemmy detail inside. It took a beautiful polish, it really does look like a mirror! It's another one of those beautiful fossil treasures that some happy Sticks-in-Stones customer is going to flip over! Our polishing skills are legendary on eBay and this one has been treated with the same care and dedication to produce that perfect, liquid finish that we apply to every stone destined for my own personal collection. You won't find sander marks or dull spots in our finish work - just a flawless, mirror like face that others promise while we deliver! This lovely thicker slab is nicely sized and measures about 12 3/4" x 6 3/4" across the widest point on the polished face. It is cut about 1/2" thick. Weight is 3 lbs. Another Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary quality stone collectible!
