I had a single large boulder of Biggs Jasper that I acquired from Howard Dolph a couple of decades ago that I finally got around to cutting. In my quest to find the coveted arcs of landscape pattern I cut thick slabs to see where, if anywhere, the huge nodule might produce the classic pattern. It never did produce the small pattern sought after for jewelry, but instead revealed large swaths of flowing bands and color that create a truly mesmerizing natural art display in the mirror polished stone. Biggs Jasper has a very high silica content, lapidary grade jasper that takes a nice polish and I decided to craft a set of bookends out of the prettiest section of the boulder where the two tone landscape was starting to try to form into the hills and valleys that are sought after my collectors and jewelry cutters alike. This nice set of bookends is the only set you'll see crafted from this jasper. Biggs jasper has become highly sought after as the availability of rough stone from the area dwindles and the price reflects it. It's not financially feasible to cut bookends but I wanted to finish one set to see how they'd turn out. The polish is every bit as glassy as our petrified wood and other lapidary work is known for. This functional set of bookends is suitable for books up to about textbook size. A truly unique offering from Sticks in Stones Lapidary!
This is a more amorphously figured specimen of Biggs Picture Jasper from the Columbia River Gorge here in Oregon. This jasper deposit is one of the most highly prized gemstone lapidary materials in the state but the higher grade material has became all but impossible to find over the years. The most sought after pieces show an eye catching combination of hills, canyons, colors, and even some little black dendrite "bushes" in the foreground of some of the best slabs from this stone. This one, by contrast, is less organized and has a more amorphous, abstract collection of patterns in the classic Biggs colors. It's an attractive stone with an incredible polish and makes a great display piece of natural art that has been crafted into a fully functional set of bookends. It's an unusual example of one of the varieties of Biggs Jasper that come from one of several mines near that town that bear the "Biggs" name. This one is dominated by warm tan and rich liquid looking brown, dark chocolate tones that just invite you to gaze into the stone. We've lapped and polished it on our specially built equipment to produce a beautifully crafted set of bookends ready to be put to work in your home or office. Our lapidary work is what really sets out specimens apart from those you'll find elsewhere, and we're confident you'll see the difference at first sight with this gorgeous stone!
Each half measures 8 1/2" tall & 6 1/4" wide at the base on the polished face. They're cut about 1 3/4" thick. Weight for this set is about 15.22 lbs. which makes these bookends suitable for just about any size of book you have. What better way to accentuate a bookshelf or your mantle than with this unbelievable natural work of art! Good luck!
Sticks-in-Stones Lapidary is happily providing UPS & USPS shipping to greatly reduce shipping charges on large rock orders. We will combine auction items or provide additional items from our shop to bring you the greatest possible value in fine Lapidary & stone collectibles!