SiS: GORGEOUS STAR FIELD 14" Petrified Palm Wood Slab

Description: This stunning petrified palm slab is polished to the kind of mirror finish that makes this fossil one of the most prized of all the fossil palms on the planet. It is cut from one of the best preserved of the petrified palm logs I've seen from Indonesia. These were some of the best petrified palms to be broadly sought out by petrified wood collectors and decorators for their inherent gemmy beauty and immaculate preservation. This particular piece shows intricate, perfectly preserved growth structure and a field of blue and white agate inclusions that seems to have formed in tiny desiccation splits that formed in the woody trunk before it petrified. The visual effect reminds me of a map of the island nation where these fossil palms once grew! The end result is one of the most dramatic petrified palms you're likely to ever come across. This slab came to us as part of an estate collection. It's prepared with a perfect, mirror finish and really is a top notch palm specimen by just about any measure. It is very nicely preserved and polished to a glassy finish! The vascular bundles under magnification are fascinating and is similar to other palms we've recently offered from various parts of Asia, though the species is beyond my qualifications to even attempt to name. The color is bold and inviting in the gemstone that preserved this fossil and it really makes the structure of the trunk stand out in incredible detail. This one has several gold marcasite-like mineral inclusions that look like fools gold in the flawless polished face. As unusual as it is beautiful! That back is cut smooth and flat but not polished. This nice specimen represents a complete, full round cut from the center of a good sized petrified palm trunk. The petrified palm wood from Indonesia will sometimes have minerals present like marcasite (among others) that look like gold flecks, and this one has plenty of them! It's so gemmy that it's often cut into jewelry! It's also so well preserved and so popular among collectors that both Texas and Louisiana adopted petrified palm wood as the official state fossil! I hope you'll take this chance to share in that obsession and obtain one of these nice collector sized slabs for your own collection. This is a unique piece and I won't have any others from this trunk. It takes a fantastic polish which really brings out every detail in the finely patterned cell structure which is easily visible to the naked eye. Palmoxylon (petrified palm) is readily identifiable from the unique spotted wood grain that looks like a bundle of spaghetti cut in cross section. This would make a wonderful start or addition to any petrified wood collection! This nice specimen represents a complete, full round cut from the center of a good sized petrified palm trunk. The petrified wood from Indonesia is quite different from those I find here in the Pacific Northwest and as my own interests gravitate towards variety in species as much as locations you can imagine how exciting it is to be able to expand my collection in new dimensions! I hope you'll take this chance to do the same and obtain one of these nice museum sized slabs for your own collection! It takes a fantastic polish which really brings out every detail in the finely patterned cell structure which is easily visible to the naked eye. Palmoxolon (petrified palm) is readily identifiable from the unique spotted wood grain that looks like a bundle of spaghetti cut in cross section. This would make a wonderful start or addition to any petrified wood collection! Indonesian petrified wood often has minerals like marcasite ( a gold colored metallic mineral crystal) that are visible in the cut and polished face. Some of these minerals (not all) will react with air and the moisture in it over time to actually cause the crystals to grow. This can manifest itself as either a dust or, in some cases, larger crystal eruptions on the surface. It happens slowly if it happens at all and the good news is that this slab was cut years ago so it is unlikely to develop anything new, but it's always possible with Indonesian wood and something to be aware of as you maintain this collector piece. Any dusty is easily dealt with by wiping with a dry or even slightly dampened rag. If a larger crystal starts to grow my preference is to leave it alone or risk introducing a pock market or divot on the surface if you try to scrape it away. This round is complete, was sliced from the center of a log, and has some of the best color diversity you'll see in a palm. The polish is world class - just what you've come to expect when you buy from Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary! Don't pay too much for too little - only our shop can deliver the best polish you'll ever see on truly museum grade petrified wood and agates on every piece we sell! This piece measures about 14" x 12 1/4" across the polished face and is roughly 0.68" thick. Weight is 7.76 lbs. Stands sold separately. Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary is happily providing USPS & UPS 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!

Price: 329 USD

Location: Camas, Washington

End Time: 2025-02-12T00:36:12.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0.5 USD