Lapidary Arts, Gemstones and Minerals including Natural History

In Bonhams’ upcoming auction of Lapidary Arts, Gemstones, and Minerals Including Natural History is a notable collection of 850 Jerusalem eggs. Each egg in the collection was handmade by master gemstone craftsman Dieter Jerusalem, now retired, to the “classic” Idar size specifications of 58mm high (considered to be the perfect size of a hen’s egg). Due to either exhausted deposits or mine closings, many of the minerals used in these eggs are no longer available.

Beyond carved gemstones, there are many fossils represented in the sale, including a Claudiosaurus fossil from the Permian period. Though the Claudiosaurus was not a dinosaur, it was an extinct member of the diapsid reptile group and would have been approximately the size of a modern marine iguana. There are several ammonite fossils in the sale as well, including a large, multi-colored iridescent example from Southern Alberta. Samples from this area often display brilliant colors not typically seen in ammonites. Other offered items include an emerald-cut aquamarine weighing approximately 1,318 carats, an Indonesian table crafted of petrified wood, a mounted water buffalo skull, a string of rare California pink tourmaline beads, and more. View any of these lots and register to bid on Bonhams.