NATIVE SILVER "TREE" ON NATIVE COPPER. ...

Description

NATIVE SILVER "TREE" ON NATIVE COPPER
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan
Sharp native silver crystals are perched on native copper - giving the impression of a native copper tree trunk topped by native silver branches and leaves. This very aesthetic specimen could easily be the centerpiece of a fine native elements collection, especially with the stark whiteness of the silver contrasting with the rich brown tones of the copper. This classic specimen dates back to the 1800s and has an impeccable pedigree because it bears collection number 22682 from the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. It was an exceptionally rare and exquisite specimen at the time it was collected, made even rarer now by the passage of time. One would be hard pressed to find a better example of this elusive combination: native silver on native copper. The overall specimen measures 2 1/2 x 3 x 1 ¾ inches with crystals up to 1/2 inch in length. Ex. S.B. Whiting Collection and Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science (ANSP #22682).

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