Claudia Florian
Co-Consulting Director, Gemologist
Minerals from the Estate of Gerard L. Cafesjian (Online Only) / Large Marra Mamba Tiger's Eye Sphere
Lot 274
Large Marra Mamba Tiger's Eye Sphere
2 – 16 March 2019, 15:00 PST
Los AngelesSold for US$7,575 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Lapidary Works of Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistSpecialists
Large Marra Mamba Tiger's Eye Sphere
Mt Brockman Station, Western Australia
The mining district for this mineral is located in central Western Australia, over 1000 km north east of Perth. Over millions of years waters heated by volcanic activity dissolved much of the silica from the banded iron formation in this region leaving huge iron ore deposits of almost pure hematite. In other places, red and yellow iron oxides and/or silica were deposited as veins or replaced the wall areas of fine cracks in the host rock. The resulting stone, a highly sought-after variety of tiger's eye, is found only in this region and is known as Marra Mamba. The source is now mined out and only rare specimens make their way onto the market and certainly not of this size. This large and very fine sphere displays the typical bands of golden tiger's eye, brilliant red jasper, as well as stromatolite. With gentle curves the layers are a testament to the immense pressures to which the rock was inexorably subjected over the millenia. The art of sphere making is particularly difficult with this material due to the varying hardnesses of the three stones contained in it. Diameter 9 3/4in (24.8cm)
The mining district for this mineral is located in central Western Australia, over 1000 km north east of Perth. Over millions of years waters heated by volcanic activity dissolved much of the silica from the banded iron formation in this region leaving huge iron ore deposits of almost pure hematite. In other places, red and yellow iron oxides and/or silica were deposited as veins or replaced the wall areas of fine cracks in the host rock. The resulting stone, a highly sought-after variety of tiger's eye, is found only in this region and is known as Marra Mamba. The source is now mined out and only rare specimens make their way onto the market and certainly not of this size. This large and very fine sphere displays the typical bands of golden tiger's eye, brilliant red jasper, as well as stromatolite. With gentle curves the layers are a testament to the immense pressures to which the rock was inexorably subjected over the millenia. The art of sphere making is particularly difficult with this material due to the varying hardnesses of the three stones contained in it. Diameter 9 3/4in (24.8cm)