Monday, January 4, 2010

What am I?
I was hoping someone might know what this is. Also located in Euphemia's endless pit is this mystery substance.
It's now stored in an old timber Justus Van Maurik cigar box, although I can't remember if that's what I found it in.
At first I thought this was amber, but I think it's too lightweight. It looks like melted glass that has been broken up like sugar rock.
It's the colour of old beer bottles, but it ranges in depth from a yellow colour to one large piece which is a dark brown.


The pieces vary in size from a large marble to finely ground pieces like raw sugar.
I found a couple of books in the house about gem fossicking and identification, etc, so I think it may be something that's come out of the ground.
Does anyone have any ideas?




5 comments:

  1. It looks like it might be rosin, used for violin strings or dancers sometimes use it to make the floor less slippery...is it slightly sticky when you rub the dust between your fingers?

    I used to use it all the time on wooden floors when I was dancing en pointe...not very often in use these days because of more modern dance floors.

    hope that helps, Kyla xxx

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  2. It looks like rabbit skin glue to me - used to prepare a canvas when working in oils.

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  3. Looks like frankincense..... hmm Tan

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  4. it may be shellac - mixed up somehow and used in place of varnish on furniture.

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  5. Looks like Kauri gum - used in varnish and a variety of other things. Exported in a big way from New Zealand

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