Detailed information
Species
Native Silver
Dimensions
45 x 50 x 32
mm
Weight
48 g
Locality
Sophia Mine, Böckelsbach Valley Wittichen, Schenkenzell, Black Forest Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Condition
No recorded repairs
Custom Stand
Yes - custom stand included
Closed in 1939, the Sophia mine in Böckelsbach Valley, Wittichen, Schenkenzell, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany worked silver-bismuth-cobalt-arsenic-uranium mineralization. Although some excellent crystallized Native Silver specimens were recovered during mining they are rarely seen available for sale and are typically only very small, making them treasures from the Black Forest. This beautiful miniature specimen is not only a classic, but a quite substantial Native Silver from this famous mine. Showing the typical granitic matrix for which this mine was known, a very showy branching dendritic aggregate of crystallized Native Silver rises dramatically upwards. This reaches 5 cm in length which means that although miniature in size it displays very well, and has a purpose-made acryllic display stand to show it off in all its glory. To add to its beauty, the Native Silver presents a superb historic patina, of a pinkish copper-colour. Under magnification the dendrites can be seen to be made up of skeleton-like networks of crystals. Ex Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021) Collection.
