Description:

North America, ca. millions of years old. This is an incredibly beautiful and large piece of natural obsidian, a volcanic stone, with a golden sheen across the surface. The outer rough gray and black surface has been flaked throughout to reveal the lustrous, glassy areas underneath. Obsidian has been prized by many cultures for its remarkable razor-sharp qualities and nearly translucent nature that can come in hues of jet black, smokey gray, and even brown or green. The golden iridescence is a result of water vapor trapped in the lava as it solidifies; the gas bubbles stretch outwards along the flow layers and as the lava cools the bubbles become permanent parts of the matrix, reflecting light which produces this striking golden sheen! This is truly a cool and remarkable stone - the photos only catch part of the beauty - the way shifting light catches the iridescent surface is best seen in person! Size: 5.25" L x 2" W x 8" H (13.3 cm x 5.1 cm x 20.3 cm)

Provenance: private Lumberton, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#169635

  • Condition: Raw piece of obsidian with rough surface and areas of large flaking to show off the glass golden sheen. Minor sharp areas due to natural obsidian qualities. Great Coloration throughout!

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May 12, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000