A very special specimen box, 8-panel and 4 ball feet of rare moss agate, which has veins of quartz and easily identifiable moss. Origin of the box is German (Idar-Oberstein), the area referred to as the valley of agate. These 19th century boxes, superbly crafted specimen stone set in ormolu framework and up on ball agate feet, were fabulously well-received as Grand Tour souvenirs, still highly sought after today. While the gemstone industry got its start with local mined stone, stone from around the world went into these boxes by end of 1800s. A cluster of them makes a superb desktop display, and in a lighted cabinet - magical. This is a larger one, as these go, and is elegantly banded natural agate from chocolate to milk-white.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. There are 8 thin-sawed and beveled edge plaques of the stone set in this one, elevated by another 4 round-cut agate feet. I can find the tiniest nip to a rear lid corner, and on bottom plaque, a tight possible hairline on a natural crystal grain in the stone which I have marked with “x” for your close review. It is only visible on certain angles and there is no movement. Might simply be the natural stone Otherwise, excellent throughout. Measurements are noted on the photos and do include the feet (5.5” total length). This one is 5” long measuring just the body of the box, which is quite large as these go.
