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[Sandsave]

I have an old rockhound friend that started me sphere making, he wanted give me a piece of Edwards Black Jade for making spheres for him as he is not able to make spheres any more.
He had it in his collection for many years, I couldn't take it as I know how valuable it is.
Can someone in the forum give me a fair value. It weighs 2 3/4 lbs.

[Redrummd]

It is VERY difficult to give an accurate price from photos as some has cracks from leading edges and other pieces have pseudo-morphed tiny quartz crystals that look like snowflakes randomly through the Jade.  Last time I bought a collection I paid $150. a pound for it; slabs, red skin pieces and white skin pieces - a total of 27 pounds with most pieces blocked on two or three sides and about 8 pounds slabbed.....

[Asianfire]

No idea about value, but,... Love the look of true black.....

[Sandsave]

I knew it was to valuable for him to give away, so I wanted a price. If I did buy it I still don't want to cab until I get more knowledge. I received a bunch of Wyoming jade from the great grandson of guy who had a rock shop in Sinclair, Wyoming when I bought my 24" Frantom from him. I've messed around a little bit with that material with mixed results.
I might make him a offer.

Thanks for the information.

[edgarscale]

it's not impossible to cut or carve jade, just difficult.  in the past 10 years of cruising the rock shows i found it harder to find black jade in any size other than nuggets here in ontario canada.  i don't know much about jade it but i'm told that black has no value as its impure due to the high iron content but i don't believe that.  i'm going to a rock show this weekend in paris ontario, the first of the year and will find out an guesstimate for you.  good luck, mary..

[Asianfire]

i don't know much about jade it but i'm told that black has no value as its impure due to the high iron content but i don't believe that.

Rightfully so.
For some reason that I cant understand, green is the most desirable colour in any of the 3 jade-forms.
I for one love me black, as well as yellow or ice (virtually without any colour). There is a specific type of green that I find attractive, but the cost for that particular material is so astronomical that I dont even have to consider ever trying getting any.  Recently, I slowly get a liking for white too.

[lithicbeads]

I have cut very good Edwards black in the past and $100 a lb for very nice clean rough seems  about correct to me. You can cut a lot of excellent stones from a lb of very good rough.

[lapidaryrough]

http://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/minerals/gemstones




Is this the same jade known as Wyoming  Game warden jade, found in 194os.

[edgarscale]

do you know where the jade originally came from?  i just noticed that i'm off on my days....the rock show in paris, ontario is april 1st and 2nd if anyone is interested it's in the arena....mary..

[Sandsave]

I don't know where it came from, I can find out.

[Sandsave]

He can't remember where he got it from, he's had it in his collection for awhile.

[Redrummd]

Edwards is very hard at about 7 on the MOHS scale and it should take a glass like polish EASILY.  The skin on the piece looks correct for white skin Edwards.