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All auctions / Ethnographic / Large Red Jasper Sphere - Intense Fiery Hues Patterns...


Collection Mineral Sculpture and Interior Design — This lot presents a magnificent Red Jasper sphere from Madagascar, a specimen of remarkable size and weight that captures the essence of Earth's geologic strength. Modeled with precision into a perfect spherical shape and mirror-polished, this mineral sculpture reveals a fascinating duality: on one side, an almost homogeneous surface of a deep saturated red; on the other, an intricate breccia composition that tells a story of fracture and reassembly that lasted millennia. The visual analysis of the specimen reveals a smooth surface inviting touch, whose glassy luster enhances the chromatic richness. The dominant color is an intense brick red, earthy and warm, dotted with subtle darker and lighter veins, testimony to the natural internal fracture lines of the mineral. These are not imperfections, but geological scars that give the piece a unique and authentic character, narrating its complex genesis. Rotating the sphere, a true geological landscape unfolds. The brecciated section shows angular fragments of primordial jasper, with hues ranging from red-orange to brown, cemented together by a lighter, almost crystal-clear quartz matrix in some spots. The effect is that of an abstract artwork created by nature, a mosaic documenting an ancient cataclysmic event followed by a slow healing process. Each fragment is a piece of history, frozen in a stone snapshot. Jasper is an opaque, microcrystalline variety of quartz (chalcedony), and its iconic red coloration is due to the widespread presence of iron oxide inclusions, mainly hematite. The formation of breccia, as seen in this specimen, occurs when preexisting rock is fragmented by intense tectonic pressures or hydrothermal fluids. The resulting fragments are then welded together by subsequent deposits of silica or calcite, creating a new composite rock that carries the memory of that transformation. More than a simple collectible specimen, this sphere is a sculpture with a strong visual and symbolic impact. Its archetypal shape and substantial size make it an ideal centerpiece for a study, a bookshelf, or a contemporary design environment. It is a fragment of natural history that dialogues with space, a piece from a modern Wunderkammer that unites scientific rigor with undeniable decorative power, evoking the primordial beauty of our planet. Technical details Name: Red Brecciated Jasper Classification: Mineral, microcrystalline quartz variety Provenance: Madagascar Dimensions: 150 x 150 x 150 mm Weight: 5070 g Conditions: Natural, excellent polish. The visible fractures are intrinsic features of the breccia and not defects.
Estimate:$836.98
To the auctionView all items fromCatawikiorEthnographic
Estimate:
$836.98
Proto-dogon female figure, djenne empire, mali, circa 900-1030 ad
11/15/2013

$425,000
Est: $400,000

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