This stunning petrified log cross section is an ancient fossil conifer from South Dakota. It's a large, solid slab that is cut plenty thick enough to be used as either a table top or wall art. The color is really pleasing in this slab with a really attractive contrast between the blue/gray agate zones and the more wood toned hues, each showing the wood grain differently in this full round. I've cut petrified wood from all over the world and seen even more than I'd cut, often concluding that good lapidary grade material was unlikely to come from a deposit for one reason or another. This slab came out of the Beck collection and demonstrated clearly that I'd dismissed finding gem grade museum pieces amongst the logs I'd seen from South Dakota a little hastily to say the least! This is a truly world class specimen with a breccia pattern in the preservation that is always a personal favorite when I come across it. The color, the preservation and the gem grade agate all combine to make a true museum grade collectible work of natural art. The wood has a couple of fracture lines in it that required minor stabilizing (about like the typical Arizona petrified log) but is generally very solid and took a truly exquisite polish. It's the best I've ever seen from anywhere in the Dakotas by a big margin and something deserving of a place in your home or collection!
I've driven through South Dakota a couple of times over the years and have been drawn into half a dozen rock shops along highways and small towns in the area. I'm always on the lookout for good cutting quality petrified wood and you never know where you might find something interesting to work with. But while I saw many tons of petrified logs and acres of rock yards, I never found a single piece that was worth investing in. Apparently I should have kept looking! Dan Beck found this log and cut it in his Oregon based rockshop just a few years ago, shortly before retiring from lapidary work. Dan has a good idea for stone and spotted the potential in this very large fossil conifer and his instincts proved correct. The color and agate in this log is really remarkable and rivals the best of many other petrified forests around the US and the globe. The logs I'd seen were mostly surface logs with lots of fractures that didn't look like they would be likely to hold together if I cut them. This log is an obvious exception as it is quite solid with only minor internal fractures typical of any good petrified wood in larger sizes. It's more than solid enough to make a great table top if you are inspired to deploy it that way. The polish is brilliant and brings out the truly gem grade luster of this premium quality petrified wood slab.
If you're new to our shop the one thing you should expect is to see an unexpectedly glossy finish on each stone we prepare. This complete round is a wonderful example of the best lapidary work you'll find. It's been cut with a diamond saw and flat lapped on equipment I built myself to produce a mirror perfect polish unmatched by any of our many would-be imitators. The detail captured and revealed through the highly polished surface is just immaculate. It's easily some of the best fossil wood to be found anywhere! The rings are gorgeous, the agate is highly polished and the detail is easier to see in person than the photo suggests. It's a truly special find and we won't likely have a lot more so get a piece for your collection while it's available!
This is a thick slab from the center of the log and measures about 18 1/8" x 13 1/2" across the polished face. It is cut about 0.91" thick. Weight is 16.2 lbs.
A nice, unique natural wonder collectible exclusively from Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary!
I've driven through South Dakota a couple of times over the years and have been drawn into half a dozen rock shops along highways and small towns in the area. I'm always on the lookout for good cutting quality petrified wood and you never know where you might find something interesting to work with. But while I saw many tons of petrified logs and acres of rock yards, I never found a single piece that was worth investing in. Apparently I should have kept looking! Dan Beck found this log and cut it in his Oregon based rockshop just a few years ago, shortly before retiring from lapidary work. Dan has a good idea for stone and spotted the potential in this very large fossil conifer and his instincts proved correct. The color and agate in this log is really remarkable and rivals the best of many other petrified forests around the US and the globe. The logs I'd seen were mostly surface logs with lots of fractures that didn't look like they would be likely to hold together if I cut them. This log is an obvious exception as it is quite solid with only minor internal fractures typical of any good petrified wood in larger sizes. It's more than solid enough to make a great table top if you are inspired to deploy it that way. The polish is brilliant and brings out the truly gem grade luster of this premium quality petrified wood slab.
If you're new to our shop the one thing you should expect is to see an unexpectedly glossy finish on each stone we prepare. This complete round is a wonderful example of the best lapidary work you'll find. It's been cut with a diamond saw and flat lapped on equipment I built myself to produce a mirror perfect polish unmatched by any of our many would-be imitators. The detail captured and revealed through the highly polished surface is just immaculate. It's easily some of the best fossil wood to be found anywhere! The rings are gorgeous, the agate is highly polished and the detail is easier to see in person than the photo suggests. It's a truly special find and we won't likely have a lot more so get a piece for your collection while it's available!
This is a thick slab from the center of the log and measures about 18 1/8" x 13 1/2" across the polished face. It is cut about 0.91" thick. Weight is 16.2 lbs.
A nice, unique natural wonder collectible exclusively from Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary!