Breakbox with Bubble Crystal, 2016

Hand-carved Amygdaloidal Basalt box containing a Rock Crystal cube with an internal cavity containing trapped ancient water and mobile gas bubble

Height 4.1cm (1 1/2")
Width 4.3cm (1 3/4")
Depth 4.3cm (1 3/4")

BG05

Private Collection, London, 2017

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More about Breakbox with Bubble Crystal, 2016

'The black spotty outer box is of Amygdaloidal Basalt from a beach at Biostancia, East Crimea that was collected last year. Locally known as 'frog stones' by the regional modernist arts community (founded by Max Volosin early 1900's) on the other side of the great Volcano Karadag at Koktebel. The white spots are the amygdales, which began as air bubbles in volcanic lava, and later filled with white stone including chalcedony. The cube inside is rock crystal from Madagascar containing a negative crystal cavity of entrapped ancient water with a mobile gas bubble. These are well-known curiosities, but they very rarely survive cutting and polishing without leaking or exploding, and are very rare in this size in clear transparent crystal. Out of many tons over as many years of crystal I have traded in the past, this is the best water bubble inclusion I have found. Thomas Hardy wrote, '...you'll be like a drop of water in a piece of rock-crystal - your medium will dignify your commonness.' the protagonist (voicing Hardy himself) speaking to his love, Elfride, in 'A Pair of Blue Eyes'.' - Ben Gaskell, 2016

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