A RHODOCHROSITE AND PYRITE JEWELRY BOX - photo 1
A RHODOCHROSITE AND PYRITE JEWELRY BOX - photo 2
A RHODOCHROSITE AND PYRITE JEWELRY BOX - photo 3

A RHODOCHROSITE AND PYRITE JEWELRY BOX

Lot 115
21.10.2025 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 3 048
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
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ID 1506875
Lot 115 | A RHODOCHROSITE AND PYRITE JEWELRY BOX
Estimate value
$ 8 000 – 12 000
Rhodochrosite from Argentina is generally considered to be the world's finest carving grade material of this beautiful red mineral species. In the 1980s, rich veins of art-grade rhodochrosite were found in a few caverns, quickly mined out for the stone wealth, with the mine eventually destroyed. The best quality veins of carving rock had accents of sparkling, golden pyrite within, although such pieces are very rare today in any size or quality. Modern material from the same region of Argentina does not have a rich pyrite association, and so the presence of this metallic mineral identifies this as old stone. The present box is constructed of very rare matched sets of pyrite-edged rhodochrosite slabs, so precisely aligned with a high attention to craftsmanship. The section joins are almost invisible. It is this combination of the natural gold accents on the natural red stone, that makes the specimen-turned-box so rare.
4½ x 3¼ x 1⅜ in. (11.5 x 8.1 x 3.4 cm.)
583 g.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
07.10.2025 – 21.10.2025
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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