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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Josh Chait
310.285.0182
josh@chait.com
From the depths of the earth to the heavens above- I.M. Chait Gallery presents an exotic and intriguing parfait of beautiful gems, important fossils and mysterious objects from around the world!
View Sale
Lot 130
Beverly Hills, CA November 16th, 2004 - I.M. Chait Gallery in Beverly Hills proudly present a gathering of exquisite, rare and unusual jewelry, exotic gemstones, as well as an extensive suite of fossil & mineral specimens, to be auctioned on Sunday, the 5th of December during the Gallery’s much-anticipated and talked-about Jewelry, Mineralogy and Natural History sale.
“This is one of the largest selections of exotic gemstone jewelry ever to be offered to the public,” offers Director and gemology expert James Walker. “Many of the gemstones, such as the kyanite, purple sapphire, fire opal, tsavorite garnet, etc. are rarely seen in jewelry stores- and they are never seen with this quality and brilliance. The quality is unsurpassed and the collection unprecedented.”
An item that has garnered great interest is a stunning 34.65 blue Sapphire that hails from far-away Sri Lanka. “I’ve got my eye on that one,” exclaimed a Beverly Hills local. Virtually flawless, the deep azure facets shimmer like pools of bright stars under the light. Other fine Diamond and Sapphire jewelry from a private estate will be available to Chait’s list of distinguished private and celebrity clientele.
The sale will also feature a vast collection of gorgeous, fine opals. Many of the items are unique artisan-crafted treasures: exquisite miniature gemstone carvings mounted in high-karat gold, such as a stunning translucent Chrysoprase Seahorse Brooch with Spectrolite and Sapphire “Bubbles” and high Karat Gold “Seaweed.”
Interested in the healing powers of beautiful crystals? Then look no further. A number of spiritually uplifting pieces are up for “adoption” by the highest bidder. One in particular is a rare, transparent Blue Nepalese Kyanite necklace. Kyanite is one of two stones that never need cleansing or clearing. It is most renowned for its strong psychic properties. “It aligns the chakras and stimulates psychic awareness. It’s all the buzz in Hollywood!”
For the Natural History aficionados- no need to join an archaeological dig. Chait’s done it for you! An amazing specimen of a Saber-Tooth Tiger Skull can be yours for the taking! The Skull of an 80,000 year old Smilodon, commonly known as a Saber-Toothed Tiger, was consigned to the auction house on the 2nd of October. The news of this specimen being available to a private buyer has Paleontologists concerned. According to Mr. David Herskowitz, the Director of the Natural History Department at the I.M. Chait Gallery, “in a free-market society everyone has a fair chance to acquire a piece of Earth’s past.”
Other highlights in the category of fossils include a virtually complete, fully mounted skeleton of a Saber-Toothed “Cat” which roamed the Badlands of South Dakota over 35 million years ago. Also noteworthy is a collection of fossils from the Rancho La Brea Formation of California. This collection includes an extremely rare fossil Eagle leg bone, an Eagle claw, Coyote fossils and a selection of water beetles.
A small sampling of the noteworthy lots are:
Lot 18
AMETHYST "VUG" WITH SURPRISE PINK INTERIOR
Rodeo Binito, 20 miles east of Fredrico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Almost all of the amethyst "geodes" from the Brazil-Uruguay border feature varying amounts of amethyst and agate with an occasional selenite or calcite in the interior. Imagine the surprise that awaited the miners when they broke into this cavity. The normal looking dark exterior is lined with a layer of normal medium purple amethyst but at this point normalcy is completely lost because the next layer lining the cavity is an entirely anomalous rose quartz arranged in grape-like aggregates, all covered with bright druzy crystal faces. This wonderful treasure has been sawn so that it is free standing. In addition; the areas exposed by the sawing have been polished, otherwise it is exactly as found by the miners on that day when it first saw light. This unusual geode is 20 1/2 inches tall and 13 1/2 inches wide.
Estimate $2,800-3,500
Lot 35
PASTEL GEOMETRIC PERFECTION - VERY LARGE CHINESE FLUORITE
Dean, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
Since China has become a major source for mineral specimens, many tons of various minerals have found new homes in the occidental world. As is usual in such things, most are unremarkable in their mediocrity. Occasionally, and only occasionally, a specimen manages to escape crippling damage at the hands of the various agents it encounters on its journey to the west. Rarely are all of these factors (freedom from damage, superior quality, proper handling, proper transport, etc.) occur in conjunction, allowing an unblemished specimen, such as this fluorite, to reach the outside world - intact. Backlit by indirect daylight in a clear, sunny day, this plate explodes in a riot of sharp octahedrons - all rendered in varying combinations of teal-blue, aquamarine-green and reddish purple. Adding to the overall aesthetic is the matte surface of the crystals, which works with the pastel coloration to produce a subtle, elegant, yet sensuous impression. This is indeed one of the finest, if not the finest, fluorite specimens from this locality. Measures 16 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 4 inches.
Estimate $9,000-10,000
Lot 40
AN OUTSTANDING SMOKY PHANTOM QUARTZ
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Reminicent of a Lawrence Stoller sculpture, this beautifully clean, polished smoky quartz displays some exceptionally fine examples of "phantom" crystal zonation. Such zonation is the result of changing aluminum levels in the fluids bathing the developing crystal during its growth period. Background gamma irradiation from potassium in the surrounding granite caused the high aluminum areas in the crystal to turn dark smoky brown-black. When the aluminum levels change radically and frequently, the results the fine en echelon color banding seen in this example. The exceptional clarity only enhances the visibility of the phenomenon. All natural faces have been polished to emphasize this exquisite crystal's clarity. Overall, an outstanding example of this mineral and of phantom zonation. It measures 9 1/2 inches high by 7 1/2 inches wide and is 5 inches thick.
Estimate $6,000-8,000
Lot 46
RECORD SIZE - ORBICULAR "OCEAN" JASPER SPHERE
Marovato Mine, Ambolobozo Peninsula, Northwest Coast, Madagascar
The orbicular jasper of northwest Madagascar has established its position as one of the most desirable of the new lapidary materials to come to market. In spite of its attractiveness, most of the material is plagued by voids - thus limiting the ultimate size of the items that can fashioned from it. To date, at 8 1/4 inches in diameter, this is the largest sphere ever to be produced from this material. Fashioned by hand - the lapidary artist who fashioned this huge sphere had to heft an enormous piece of rock just to shape it. Swirling concentric patterns of leaf green, mustard yellow, orange, mauve and white vie with each other to attract the eye. The patterns on this sphere are attractive from any side. It weighs a hefty 12.1 kgs.
Estimate $8,000-10,000
Lot 53
BIG RAINBOW OBSIDIAN SCULPTURE
Jalisco, Mexico
Complex "scoops" and sensuous curves graced by iridescent bands of flowing color invite the eye and the hand to explore the smoothly polished exterior of this rather large mass of rainbow obsidian. The iridescent colors are based in layers of microscopic crystals formed as the volcanic glass slowly cooled. These micro-crystals reflect light in a manner similar to opals. The sculpture measures 20 x 10 x 12 inches.
Estimate $4,000-6,000
Lot 91
IMPRESSIVE & DRAMATIC CARRARA MARBLE INTARSIA BOWL
Hand Crafted in Italy
Crisply modern in style, this white carrara marble bowl displays its sharply contrasting intarsia inlays with elegance and precision. Concentric rings circle the work. Starting from the outer rim, there is a ring of deep blue Afghani lapis lazuli followed by one of rose-red, patterned rhodochrosite from Argentina. The third ring is of selected malachite "'tiles" forming a symmetrical pattern. The central "core" is a choice "bulls-eye" of malachite delicately encircled in rhodochrosite. At almost 2 feet in diameter this is an impressive example of Italian lapidary skill and technique. The bowl is 22 inches wide and 3 3/8 inches high.
Estimate $6,000-8,000
Lot 118
CLASSIC IMPERIAL TOPAZ
Brazil
Rich orange, the hue of aged sherry, describes this beautiful pear shaped treasure. This particular color in topaz is restricted in locality to a zone only a few miles long in rural Brazil - the only locality in the world where imperial topaz is found This explains why the supply of such material never keeps pace with demand. Well cut this sparkling golden gem measures 22.4 mm by 13.3 mm and weighs 19.48 cts.
Estimate $2,750-3,750
Lot 133
TRANSLUCENT GEM SODALITE - UNUSUAL GEMSTONE
Namibia
Sodalite is a complex silicate mineral that has found wide acceptance as a decorative lapidary material. Virtually all sodalite that is mined is too included and opaque to qualify as a gemstone. A very small percentage of production a remote area of northwestern Namibia was found to be both translucent and 'clean' enough to provide luscious, deep blue gems. Mining of this material has stopped due to the remoteness of the site, but before it ended, material for this oval cabochon as found and exported. This bright to navy blue cabochon is 18.52 cts. and approximately 13/16 x 3/4 inches in dimension.
Estimate $1,000-1,500
Lot 208
BRILLIANT TSAVORITE GARNET NECKLACE
Kenya
Tsavorite garnets are found in only one locality: the border region between Kenya and Tanzania near the Tsavo Game Park; hence the name "tsavorite". These garnets come in a rich variety of greens: from dark forest-green to light "new leaf" green. The facetted beads in this necklace are all tsavorite; showing the full range of colors that are available from this unique gemstone. Painstakingly separated and graded by color sweep, this necklace is comprised of 10 strands - the beads have been extremely well polished and facetted. This necklace has brilliant flashes of color, which become particularly dazzling in sunlight. This very dramatic necklace comes with matching earrings. The shortest strand is 17 1/2 inches, while the longest is 19 1/2 inches. The earrings are 3 inches long. Altogether there are over 650 carats.
Estimate $5,500-7,500
Lot 214
LIFE-LIKE SEA NETTLE JELLYFISH - REVERSE INTAGLIO PENDANT
Artist: Dave Lowrie
Jellies are fascinating and ephemeral creatures - in fact they can be considered living art, as designated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Artist Dave Lowrie has captured their essence in this fantastic reverse intaglio pendant: meticulously hand carved in rock crystal, this west coast sea nettle appears to "float" in the depths of a deep-blue Afghani lapis lazuli sea. But wait, there is a surprise! On the reverse side is his twin, in bas-relief, rendered in 18K gold and overlaid on turquoise-blue Peruvian opal. Both jellies are encased in a simple 18K gold bezel and suspended from a 20 inch black woven cord whose clasp is set with a hand carved cat's-eye aquamarine shell and bead, so that the length can be adjusted. The pendant itself measures 1 3/4 x 1 inch.
Estimate $6,500-7,500
Lot 225
VERY FINE BOULDER OPAL & EMERALD NECKLACE
Australia & Colombia
A stunning strand of graduated boulder opal beads with strong green, blue and occasionally red flashes of color. The beads are polished to an unbelievable mirror-glass finish, enabling the opal colors to strongly contrast with the chocolate brown-black matrix. Complemented by Colombian emeralds - both rough-tumbled and facetted - of excellent color, this superb necklace also has two handcrafted 18K yellow gold accent beads with facetted emeralds, deep yellow gold rondel spacers, a high carat gold clasp and is finished with the artist's signature 18K gold & diamond "Z" bead. This very fine necklace is 20 inches in length.
Estimate $12,000-15,000
Lot 231
EXOTIC TURQUOISE, DIAMOND AND HIGH CARAT GOLD NECKLACE
Sleeping Beauty Mine, Arizona
This exotic necklace comprised of top-grade turquoise, diamonds and high carat yellow gold looks almost Byzantine in origin - it hails back to days of opulence and splendor, of traveling to far away exotic lands and bringing home treasures to the king. The turquoise is from the famed Sleeping Beauty Mine of Arizona, renowned for it's deep robin's egg blue colors. The cabochons have very even and clean color and they are accented by diamonds. The largest cabochon is approximately 16 x 12 mm, while the smallest is approximately 8 x 6 mm. The gold work includes much granulation and is wrought in 22K bright yellow gold. The neckpiece itself if 15 1/2 inches long, while the drop area adds an additional 4 inches to the length.
Estimate $3,000-4,000
Lot 238
"CICADA" RENDERED IN CLOISONNÉ
Artist: Collen Bickman
Cicadas are one of those ubiquitous insects that you hear but may not see. Their distinctive sounds and their long live spans (up to 17 years) are some of the factors that set them apart from other insects. This homage to the cicada has been executed in cloisonné enamel on fine silver with 24 karat gold fine wire channels. The cicada is peering at you with red eyes, mauve body and green detailing - after he has landed on your window with the blue sky in background. The enamel piece is set in an 18 karat gold free-form mount with a 22 karat gold bezel. Hand made pin findings of 14 karat gold cap finish off this piece which measures 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches.
Estimate $2,200-2,600
Lot 247
VERSATILE FIRE OPAL NECKLACE
Mexico
Fire opal comes in a variety of shades of orange as demonstrated in this versatile necklace; rough-tumbled fire opal beads contrasting with fire opal roundels and accented by Swiss vermeil beads. All of the fire opal is bright and lively with excellent color. This necklaces stretches out to 66 1/2 inches in length - long enough to become a dynamic belt, a multiple strand necklace or a necklace reminiscent of the flapper age. Secured by a clever, but simple, vermeil clasp and the artist's signature 18 karat gold and diamond "Z" bead.
Estimate $2,200-2,800
Lot 249
STARKLY MODERN AQUAMARINE NECKLACE
Hand-cut in Germany
These pale blue aquamarine beads speak volumes about the German lapidary artist who carved them - sensual and starkly modern. A "Philip Glass Symphony" in aquamarine. These precision hand-cut disks shimmer when caught in the light - creating the illusion of an aura of light. The jewelry designer has combined these dynamic beads with 24 carat gold filigree roundels an has attached two of her signature 18 karat gold and diamond "Z" beads. The necklace is 16 1/2 inches long.
Estimate $3,500-4,500
Lot 254
EXQUISITE TRANSLUCENT CHRYSOPRASE SEAHORSE BROOCH
Artist: Dave Lowrie
The translucent, almost glowing, seahorse has been carved out of gem chrysoprase by master carver Dave Lowrie. The seahorse is so detailed that his tail is actually wrapped around the 18 karat gold seaweed frond. Surrounded by spectrolite and sapphire "bubbles", the seahorse bobs serenely in the water all the while secure in the knowledge that he is anchored to the to a holdfast. This fantastic brooch is detailed in the back as well as the front. There are 3.1 carats of spectrolite and 1.12 carats of sapphires. The seahorse himself weighs 16.05 carats and the piece measures 2 x 1 1/2 inches.
Estimate $6,000-6,500
Lot 263
BRILLIANT BLUE FACETTED KYANITE NECKLACE
Nepal
This fine kyanite necklace has deep, intense, transparent blue facetted beads. Unlike like most kyanite material, which is usually opaque and milky, the kyanite from the mountains of Nepal is extremely transparent. Fashioned as rough, facetted beads, the shape of the beads has been determined by the shape of the crystals. The blue is so intense, the necklace literally "glows". Some people attribute kyanite with positive metaphysical properties; they cite its ability to calm and quiet the chattering, busy mind as being unequaled. This unusual necklace is strung on silk cord and knotted between each bead. Fastened with a magnetic clasp, it weighs 268 carats and is 22 inches long.
Estimate $1,200-1,800
Lot 349
AN AQUATIC REPTILE – ICHTHYOSAUR: Stenopterygius quandriseissus
Jurassic, Posidonienschiefer Formation, Holzmaden, Germany
Ichthyosaurs were marine reptiles, which probably resembled living dolphins in appearance, but their tail fin was in a vertical position like most fish. They were excellent swimmers with sleek bodies, long snout and paddle shape limbs. The present specimen is a virtually complete skeleton of a young Ichthyosaurus displaying many of its juvenile traits such as greatly enlarged eye orbits, proportionally enlarged skull and relatively small skeleton. Also noteworthy are the presence of numerous pointed teeth, which are not found on adults specimens. The fossil skeleton is in excellent condition, fully articulated and measures 29 ½ inches in length on a trimmed Holzmaden shale slab 47 x 27 ½ inches.
Estimate $26,000-30,000
This will be one of the most diverse auctions ever held at an auction house. Media and private collectors have formed a well-received beeline to the Gallery along Civic Center Drive. Want to see what the buzz is all about? Come visit I.M. Chait Gallery and experience knowledgeable insight, amazing artifacts, and superb service.
The Jewelry, Mineralogy and Natural History auction will be held on Sunday, December 5th, 2004, at 1:00 PM. The auction offers in-room, absentee, phone, and live on-line bidding. Previews begin Wednesday, December 1st. The I.M. Chait Gallery/Auctioneers is located at 9330 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, California, 90210. For more information, or to order a catalogue, kindly call (310) 285-0182, or visit our website at www.chait.com
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