OLIVENITE

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

The quality of this highly aesthetic Olivenite is immediately apparent and will draw the eye in any collection. From Wheal Unity in the parish of Gwennap, this miniature's entire top surface is richly encrusted with beautifully crystallised Olivenite, forming intensely dark olive green crystals which appear jet black, with a bright speckled glassy lustre. The Olivenite occurs in perfectly formed individual and elongated crystal sprays lining the shallow vug around which are occurrences of apple green Wood Olivenite. This fabulous old specimen comes with an 'old time' Crystal Classics label and those of J.P. Gliddon, Arnold Fisher and Sir Arthur Russell. Two Arnold Fisher labels accompany the specimen, one a standard stock label and one from his own collection. Sir Arthur Russell's label is intriguing as, unusually, it records his name on it, something he usually did for self-collected specimens, but he does not record a date.