South America, Brazil, ca. millions of years old, carved in modern times; East Asia, China, ca. millions of years old, carved in modern times; North America, Yukon / Alaska, ca. millions of years old. This is a great mineral collection of pure gold flakes and semi-precious stones carved into skulls! The turquoise skull comes from Chinese deposits and is pierced for suspension as a pendant. The other skull is made from a semi-translucent amethyst from Brazil and is of a larger decorative statue size. The gold flecks come from eastern Alaska or Canadian Yukon gold deposits, probably near the Klondike River. Size of amethyst skull: 2.5" L x 1.75" W x 1.75" H (6.4 cm x 4.4 cm x 4.4 cm); turquoise skull: 1.25" L x 1.125" W x 1.125" H (3.2 cm x 2.9 cm x 2.9 cm); gold fragments are similar size: 0.19" L x 0.14" W (0.5 cm x 0.4 cm); case: 1" L x 1" W x 1" H (2.5 cm x 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm)
Gold was discovered by prospectors in the Klondike River region in the late 19th century, resulting in the Klondike Gold Rush from 1897 to 1898. Approximately 100,000 hopeful miners took flight to the Alaskan and Yukon wilderness, less than half made it to the area, a few thousand found gold, and only a few hundred actually profited from their discoveries. Imaginably, the few that found gold probably only found flecks of this size!
Provenance: private Hagar collection, Wildwood, Missouri, USA
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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#160020
Condition
Abrasion and nicks to amethyst skull. Minor abrasion to turquoise skull, otherwise both are intact and very good. Turquoise skull is displayed on acrylic cylinder with putty but can be taken off and used as pendant. Gold flecks are displayed in acrylic cases.