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This is one of the single finest petrified psaronius logs that I've ever cut. The log that produced this amazing example of one of the most distinctive tree ferns in the fossil record is nearly exhausted. It is the last of the museum grade Psaronius logs I have from a decades old acquisition from Brazil. It's not only a large example of the species, it's also virtually perfect with a magnificently preserved star pattern in the xylem that characterize this less commonly seen species of tree fern. It's a glorious, perfect round with great color and magnificent gem grade agate fossilization. It's also one of the larger of the species I've seen - surely the largest perfect one I've offered in many years! I was attempting to organize my shop when I stumbled across a log that I'd long forgotten I owned. It's one of the tree fern logs I imported when my now college graduate son was still being carried around in a baby backpack! I was very excited to have the chance to cut another Psaronius log and even happier that it produced such fine specimen slabs! The interior structure is intricately detailed as is the outer root mantle. The roughly equal balance of those two zones within the slab suggests this one came from midway up the length of the tall trunk. It polished beautifully and is virtually flawless. You won't find a better collector specimen - this is one of the finest I've cut in nearly 100 logs and these logs are not being exported anymore. Specimens like these are simply not going to be coming around outside of liquidated estate collections going forward. It represents a rare opportunity for a premium collector specimen from the best preserved petrified tree fern trunks on the planet! A couple of decades ago I started seeing some really curious material that I hadn't seen before. A dealer in Tucson had 1/2 dozen saucer plate sized round cross sections of an interesting petrified plant that I later learned was tree fern, a tree like trunk that pre-dates many modern trees. That discovery kicked off a 2 1/2 year odyssey that eventually took me to Brazil where I was able to make contact with one of the few legal exporters of these exceptional fossils. I not only had the chance to do some rockhounding on his claims, but I also had the opportunity to hand select several exceptional quality petrified tree fern logs (among other petrified trunks) from multiple distinct species from his export inventory. What I returned with put the specimens I'd originally discovered to shame and I'm confident that I now have some of the finest specimens available from this wonderful deposit. The selection of raw material, combined with the quality of our own lapidary work makes our exotic petrified wood and tree fern unmatched! The entire adventure has been both fascinating and educational, and one of the true perks of having so many eBay collectors to serve! I've made some great new friends in the process and now have the chance to share the fruits of all this work with you collectors here on eBay. One of the species of tree fern that I had never even seen until I was preparing to travel to Brazil has proven how incomplete the conflicting references on these rare and beautiful specimens are. It's a Psaronius that shows the distinct "flat worm" shaped interior xylem in the center, and most sources agree that it's Psaronius brasiliensis. Ulrich Dernbach has a new book that shows a specimen like this one that came from near the very top of the tree where the plant was dominated by fern fronds and few roots. It's rare to find this part of the tree so well preserved, and in my opinion this piece is significantly better than the museum piece in his new text. The 6-sided star shape is characteristic of the top and complete in this specimen. What no one disputes is that the quality of these well preserved and highly agatized specimens is unlike anything previously available! The porous grain pattern on the outside portion of the round is where the root mantle from the tree fern cannibalized the plant to raise it off the ground and create a trunk that brought the fern several meters off the ground! The interior vesicles make up the fern frond bases themselves. Together they form one of the most unique and beautiful fossil specimens you're likely to see and one of the newest and most exciting specimens now available to petrified wood collectors. The only thing that rivals the incredible detail in these ancient fossils is the colors that they're preserved in. This round exhibits dark, high contrast agate colors that really allow you to see the intricate detail of the growth structure of this amazing fossil fern! We've selected only the best specimens to prepare and bring to market and can guarantee each piece has been prepared with the same care and attention to detail that I put into the ones that remain in my own collection. It's Permian which makes it about 1/4 of a Billion years old! Unbelievably well preserved for it's age to say the least. If you haven't purchased from us before, you're missing out on one of the best kept secrets on eBay. We have perfected the flat lap polish to bring out a mirror perfect shine on every stone we produce. The quality of our finish work is rarely seen even by experienced collectors and something you'll appreciate with the very first stone you purchase from us. This round is cut from the center of a very solid log. It's really a nice piece, but what else would you expect from a business named "Sticks-in-Stones"?! It's one of the largest and cleanest Psaronius specimens I've personally cut. It measures about 7 1/4" x 6 3/8" across the polished face and is cut about 0.38" thick. Weight is 1.06 lbs. Stands sold separately.Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary is happily providing UPS & USPS shipping to greatly reduce shipping charges on large rock orders. We will combine all of your purchases from our shop to bring you the greatest possible value in fine Lapidary & stone collectibles! |