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Lot 8426

Labradorite Carving of a Duck

3 December 2006, 11:00 PST
Los Angeles

Sold for US$2,987.50 inc. premium

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Labradorite Carving of a Duck

Idar-Oberstein, Germany
The rich teal blues and variegated feathers of a seated mallard are exquisitely rendered in this expert German carving formed of a single large piece of fine quality labradorite from Newfoundland. The mineral, labradorite, is characterized by a play-of-colors called labradorescence. Twinning on the microscopic level is responsible for the iridescent sheets of color that wash over the stone as the viewer changes position. When seen from certain directions this optical phenomenon can cause flashes of blue, violet and green and sometimes orange and yellow. The beak and front foot have been carved from South African tiger’s eye quartz. Length 5in

Footnotes

Accompanied by an original label from the gem and mineral business where it was purchased in the 1950s known as “The Silver Pick”, owned by Karl and Anne Vossbrinck, Merrick, New York

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