Tropical Fish Labradorite Carving with Wooden Stand
Labradorite is a member ofthe feldspar group, a cousin of stones like moonstone, sunstone, and amazonite. A mixture of related but chemically different minerals separated out as it formed, producing parallel layers inside it. Light bounces off and between them, producing a play of colors known as schiller. The word derives from the Old High German scilihen (“to blink, wink, or squint”) because the effect appears and disappears, depending on the orientation of the stone. This metallic looking flash is typically blue, green, or yellow or more rarely orange, red, and purple. The name labradorite comes from the Labrador Peninsula, in northeastern Canada, where the mineral was first documented scientifically in the late eighteenth century.
Labradorite is associated metaphysically with intuition, spiritual protection, and aligning the chakra system. To read more about labradorite, check out Stacie’s blogs here and here.
This sculpture has three tropical fish, swimming among branches of coral and seaweed. There is a starfish and pearl, near the base, and another starfish on the back. The rear has been carved to resemble leaves or rocks. The sculpture has a wide range of colors in its flash, primarily golds, greens, and greenish blue. While the front is almost entirely flash, about half of the back flashes. The fish have a high polish while many of the other elements were carved with more texture.
The carving, including its wooden stand, weighs ~3.61 lbs. The base alone is ~2 1/2" tall, ~6 1/4" across, and ~3 1/4" deep. The carving alone is ~7 1/2" tall, 6 3/4" across, and 1" deep. The figure stands ~8 3/4" tall when inside the wooden stand. Labradorite typically has a crazed appearance, with natural fractures, and inclusions of other darker minerals. Although most of the sculpture is opaque, some areas are translucent. The wooden base has some minor issues, like a few chips missing on the prongs and the feet.
The sculpture comes with a gift box for storage.
