Detailed information
Species
Native Silver, Native Arsenic
Dimensions
45 x 106 x 63
mm
Weight
850 g
Locality
Pöhla-Tellerhäuser Mine Schwarzenberg District Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Condition
No recorded repairs
The German state of Saxony is renowned for its world-class Native Silver specimens, many of which date back centuries. In 1990/1991 a rather different form of Native Silver was encountered in Pöhla-Tellerhäuser mine, Erzgebirge, Saxony. Reportedly found in Block 0985, +120m level, but squirreled away, this gorgeous herringbone/fern leaf form of Native Silver is texturally stunning. The Native Silver has a dramatic and gorgeous form as demonstrated by this cabinet specimen. The Native Silver is enhanced by its bright silvery white metallic appearance against a contrasting dull dark grey massive Native Arsenic matrix, but aesthetically, this exceptional piece reaches another level with the 'ferns' being mostly free-standing, rather than the more usual embedded type. Individual branching 'fern leaves' or 'herringbones' reach over 1.5 cm in length and display such intricate detail. A relatively 'modern' German classic and surely a form of Native Silver that will remain desirable for centuries to come.