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Morgan Hill, California Poppy Jasper Spheres (2)

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:75.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 600.00 USD
Morgan Hill, California Poppy Jasper Spheres (2)
For your consideration are these two polished Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper spheres from Morgan Hill, California near the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Poppy Jasper is a trade name used to describe some orbicular jaspers, which are jaspers whose pattern consist of orb or sphere shapes similar to "flower poppies". Poppy Jasper has been found in four places close to the town of Morgan Hill, however none of them are now actively being mined because the stone is only found on private or protected grounds. The Poppy Jasper found in that area is a “brecciated jasper.” Breccia is a rock made up of sharp fragments embedded in clay and sand. Poppy Jasper is often found in areas with seismic and tectonic activity. As this type of jasper forms, there are tiny cracks and fissures that open in the stone and then fill-in again over time with indigenous materials. As the stone repeats this process, it shatters and “heals-through” many times over, lending to the crackled and speckled look often associated with the stone. These spheres show colors of brown, red, orange, white, purple and yellow throughout with the iconic poppy blossom look and healed cracks. Each sphere is finely polished and smoothed. The spheres show good condition with no signs of chips or cracks present. They measure 12 3/4" in diameter.