Smoky Quartz on Bronze Base. Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Base Artist: Sculpted Bronze Base by Lawrence...

Description

Smoky Quartz on Bronze Base
Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Base Artist: Sculpted Bronze Base by Lawrence Stoller

In February 2000, while searching for Aquamarine crystals deep within the mountains near Governador Valadares, Brazil, a team of local miners made one of the most extraordinary mineral discoveries in recent memory. Employing traditional prospecting techniques-tapping along rocky surfaces to detect hollow chambers that might conceal gemstones-the excavators broke through to reveal a vast, glittering cavern filled with immense Smoky Quartz crystals. This spectacular pocket, later named the "Pocket de Venâncio," contained colossal crystals, the largest measuring an astonishing 8 feet (2.4 meters) in height. Over the course of several days, 38 individual crystals were painstakingly removed by hand, using only chains and ropes to guide them safely down the mountainside. The discovery immediately earned global attention for its sheer scale and the exceptional quality of the material recovered.

Crystals such as these form over millennia, within gas cavities trapped in solidified volcanic rock. As mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids slowly percolate through the voids, Silica crystallizes layer by layer, giving rise to the magnificent Quartz structures found today. The remarkable size of the "Pocket de Venâncio" crystals stands as a testament to the immense geological time required for their formation.

The present specimen-measuring 38 x 20 x 18 inches (96 x 51 x 45 cm)-exhibits a completely natural surface texture, a rich Amber-to-Citrine coloration, and the distinctive "Jacaré" (elestial, crocodilian) surface pattern admired by Brazilian collectors. It is one of only a handful of examples from the original discovery ever released to the market.

This exceptional crystal rests upon an artfully designed Bronze stand by the internationally celebrated lapidary artist and sculptor Lawrence Stoller, whose works grace distinguished museum collections and major public installations worldwide. Among his most renowned commissions is the "Eleven Tears" Memorial, the luminous centerpiece of the World Trade Center remembrance in New York City.

A masterpiece of both natural history and artistic presentation, this specimen unites monumental geological beauty with the vision of one of contemporary lapidary art's foremost masters.
Overall Measurements: 61.00 x 23.00 x 21.00 inches (154.94 x 58.42 x 53.34 cm)

Provenance: Property of a Distinguished Southern California Collector

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