Curiosities

Chrysocolla [Copper Silcate] – Kumarina – Western Australia

Chrysocolla, such a beautiful colouring. A hydrated copper silicate from the oxidation zone around copper deposits. Likely from the Peak Hill’s region Kumarina copper mine which closed down in the 1970’s.

A beautifully example 8.0cm by 6.5cm, 2.0cm deep, weighing 130.0gm

Chrysolcolla a nice Western Australian example

$30.00

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Black Mica – Harts Range – Northern Territory

A lovely example of multilayered shiny black mica from the Harts Range in Northern Territory.

Hydrous aluminosilcate formed in slow cooling igneous rocks. The Harts Range is about 200km north of Alice. Mica was mined there as early as the 1880’s but fell into decline and stopped in the 1960’s.

Incidentally the mines had interesting names and included the Spotted Dog, Caruso and Disputed. We think our example may have come from the Spotted Dog but that could be Disputed [joke].

A good nicely layered example 10.0cm by 7.0cm, 1.0cm deep but obviously uneven because of the multi layering, weighing 110.0gm

Shiny Black Mica from the Northern Territory.

$35.00

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Queensland Mineral – Rain Forest Jasper [Spherulitic Rhyolite] from the Mount Hay Volcano

Mount Hay is to the west of Rockhampton in Queensland. It is an extinct volcano and it was the volcanic environment that gave rise to this unique form of rhyolite. It is called rainforest jasper because of the rainforest like colour palette.

The underlying rock form is high in silicon and the long cooling process from the volcanic activity allowed for numerous inclusions of quartz, chalcedony etc.

A sizeable example 14.0cm by 9.0cm, 1.0cm deep, weighing 390gm

Striking Mount Hay Jasper – a nice piece

$50.00

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Rare Microscope Slide by Harry Webb – Transverse Section of Mistletoe – c1860

Harry Webb (1816-1866) was a professional mounter who lived in George Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham England. His initials are embedded in the custom-made decorative slide papers.

A nice transverse section of the mistletoe stem.

There is a brief reference to Harry Webb in the key work by Brian Bracegirdle – Microscopical Mounts and Mounters (page 100) and an unattributed example (Page 39-P). we have this information from a later reviewer who knows their stuff – but we struggle to agree that the example shown in the book is from HW.

Webb’s work featured in several international shows and he is thought to have been awarded at least one prize. He was recommended by top line microscope makers. Unfortunately, something went very wrong and he took his life drinking phenol – which would not be a nice way to go.

Rare maker with definitive slide papers – 165 years old!

$40.00

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40 Patience Games – Bernard Stanley

This super little book came from a series of sometime unusual titles published by Universal Publications, London in the 1960’s.

For your amusement other titles in the series included … Thirty-Two Novelty Dance Moves; Recitations for All; Funeral Formalities and Obligations; Self-Protection; Fun with Matches and Matchboxes etc … we think the world has passed most of these by … but not without some loss.

Soft cover, 89 pages, plus adverts for other peculiar publications. Very good condition and the forty diverse variants of patience well explained often with diagrams as to how to go about them … we have played several and they were fun.

Patience the way it used to be played – not with the ipad but with real cards

$25.00

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Azurite “Sun” – Copper Mineral, the form, Unique to Malbunka Copper Mine near Areyonga, Northern Territory.

A very nice clean example of a decent sized azurite sun with a couple of smaller examples in the usual kaolinite matrix from the Malbunka Mine.

Azurite formed by the oxidation and weathering of copper deposits – Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 and this specific indeed unique “sun” structure formed at depth and with high pressure. Monclinic and comes with a variety of colour depths this one Royal to Dark Blue.

The main sun is 45 mm in diameter and has good crystal definition around its edge. The whole sample weighs 80 gm.

Azurite “Sun” structure unique to Australia.

$120.00

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Chrysocolla [Copper Silcate] – Kumarina – Western Australia

Black Mica – Harts Range – Northern Territory

Queensland Mineral – Rain Forest Jasper [Spherulitic Rhyolite] from the Mount Hay Volcano

Rare Microscope Slide by Harry Webb – Transverse Section of Mistletoe – c1860

40 Patience Games – Bernard Stanley

Azurite “Sun” – Copper Mineral, the form, Unique to Malbunka Copper Mine near Areyonga, Northern Territory.

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