A SPECIMEN OF MALACHITE

(26 cm in height). Presented on a red laquered base. 

To request a condition report for this lot, please email science@sothebys.com
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Malachite, a green copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, was one of the first ores used to produce copper metal, and was used as a mineral pigment for green paints from antiquity through the beginning of the 19th century. In Russia, Malachite was the imperial ornamental stone par excellence. Beloved by the Tsars as both a symbol of royal power and religious devotion, the iconostasis of the Cathedral of Saint Isaac in St. Petersburg is frames by six columns of Malachite and two in Lazurite.