Undetermined dicot angiosperm wood (Incertae sedis)
Little Butte Formation, Mehama volcanics unit, Oligocene Rock Hill Drive, Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon ** Here's a new find from a construction project on Rock Hill Drive in Lebanon. It is the same Linn County petrified forest, but completely different mineralization than other areas in the county. This log was dead and down - very few patches of wood anatomical structure remain but the pattern created by the rot and compression is extraordinary. Almost no fossil wood has ever been found in Lebanon since it is further out in the Willamette Valley than most of the rest of the county. The town is on the edge of the Mehama Volcanics unit and the unit at that point is buried under the valley floor alluvium, so it is not generally accessible. If you are a locality collector aiming to add as many different localities as possible to your collection, this may be your one-time opportunity to add Lebanon. 7.5" x 5.5" on polished face; 7/16" thick slab $78 |
Ancient Maple (Acer berkhoffi)
Columbia Plateau Basalts Group; Miocene Whiskey Dick Creek, Saddle Mountain, Washington ** Here's a double delight! A lot of Saddle Mountain collected over the years is identified only as "Saddle Mountain" which is actually quite a large geographic feature to the north and west of Vantage, Washington, and the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park. But here we have a specimen out of an old collection which came with perfect provenance - collected along Whiskey Dick Creek to the north of the state park. The two forks of Whiskey Dick Creek drain the Saddle Mountain region from west to east and result in a confluence with the Columbia River several miles north of Vantage. BETTER YET this is a maple that was described by Wheeler and Dilhoff in their International Association of wood Anatomists as Acer berkhoffi so we have an exact species name to put on this maple! You can add to the double delight of provenance and exact species the fact that this is a very attractive display specimen. Now, we ask you: "Who could ask for more?" It is a choice end cut with a dramatic center and well-defined growth rings. This is wood-lover’s wood. Got a piece of Saddle Mountain maple already in your collection? This one likely tops it! 5.75” x 3.5” on polished face; end cut varies from 3/8” to 1" $95 |
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Black locust with pocket rot (Robinia sp.)
Trout Creek Formation Miocene Private Ranch near McDermitt, Oregon/Nevada border ** A very successful dig on the private portion of Zimmermann Ranch in 2019 uncovered a trove of excellent and diverse fossil woods and we think we got some of the best ones! This dig was by a member of the Zimmermann family on the land owned by the family - we note that public Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands adjacent to the family ranch have long been excavated by rockhounds and simply referred to as Zimmermann Ranch even though the actual land is public domain. The fossil record seems to indicate that the genus Robinia may have originated in North America and has been here since at least the Oligocene. However, the fact that it is fast growing, very dense and exceptionally durable, has made it a plantation species that is now planted in rows throughout Europe and parts of Asia, since it is fast growing it can be harvested early. The durability of black locust is an interesting factor in the slab we are presenting here; durability means resistance to fungus rot and bacterial destruction, yet our slab has plenty of pocket rot, especially at the center of the heartwood. Over the years we have seen a lot of this genus from McDermitt but very little of it had pocket rot fungus. AND, that which we have seen in the past was not exceptionally attractive like this one! If unique and aesthetic qualities are part of your collecting strategy, then this is a must have for you. 4.25” x 4" on the polished face; 3/8” thick slab $45 |
Conifer wood in Stromatolitic Algae
"Tonopah Wood" Miocene Tonopah, Nevada ** An exceptional example of “Tonopah Wood” with incredible patterning and our favorite combination of color for the algae in "Tonopah Wood" - salmon pink and bronze. Old-timer rockhounds called these attractive specimens by that name. The wood was under water and encased in stromatolitic algae prior to the volcanic event that filled the water body with ash and began the petrification process. The mineralization of the algae in this specimen has the very desirable reddish orange and bronze coloration. The wood itself was the center of the polished face. Much of it has been macerated and no longer can be recognized as wood. However, the dark brown region does still retain hints of the characteristics we look for in petrified wood. Like all of the specimens we have ever seen from this locality, there is enough tracheid remnant to determine that it was a conifer. Maceration makes sense because the wood must have been under water for a long time for the large colonies of stromatolitic algae to grow. As a result, the specimens from Tonopah are generally valued more for their aesthetic appeal than for their wood anatomy. If you are also an algae enthusiast, the differentiation of mineralization (color) and form (some wide bands and some very narrow) make this an even more interesting specimen. The implication of these differences is that there were some substantial changes in the water chemistry and habitat during the growth of the algae over time. Most of the Tonopah Wood is pretty; this is exceptionally so. 5.5" x 3.5" on polished face; 3/4" thick slab $65 |
Pink Limb Cast
Miocene Volcanic Deposits Texas Springs, Nevada ** A real gem from a classic locality. These pink limb casts have been a favorite of rockhounds for over 75 years. It is likely that they are roots, not limbs, but we have gone with the conventional name of "limb" cast here. Look at the wonderful woody character of the exterior of this specimen -- plenty of obvious wood grain character here. The pink color is just perfect and the piece is fracture-free on the polished face. It comes out of Miocene volcanic deposits in the Great Basin Desert of Nevada. One just can't have too many of these gems! 7/8" diameter on polished face; 2.75" long limb/root cast $26 |
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Ancient Redwood (Sequoia sp.)
Columbia Plateau Basalts Group Miocene Saddle Mountain, Washington ** An exceptional piece from Saddle Mountain with clear and crisp aesthetic growth rings and a really lavender pink eye-catching presence! This incredible display-quality specimen is further enhanced by the cavity which emanates from the center. This cavity is filled with bubbly white chalcedony over its entire surface. There are similar bubbles of chalcedony dripping off of the exterior rind of this slab as well! A truly outstanding piece. Got some Saddle Mountain wood in your collection? Here’s an opportunity to add an extraordinary piece! 10.5” x 5.5” on polished face; 1/2” thick slab $225 |
Oak (Quercus sp.)
Columbia Plateau Basalts Group, Miocene Deschutes Canyon, Oregon ** A VERY nice slab of oak from this legendary locality. The site was on top of the canyon walls about four miles upstream of the confluence of the Deschutes River and the Columbia River. In recent years, the ranchers who own the land on the sides of the canyon walls have closed their property to collecting. As a consequence, this especially nice material has now become much more difficult to obtain so we were pleased to find this one at one of the Oregon shows. This specimen has the nice characteristics that make Deschutes Canyon material desirable -- excellent eye appeal, nice sharp definition of medullary rays, great pattern enhanced by the rot pocket in the upper center. This one is destined for inclusion in someones display case! Click photo for a closer view ... and then don't let this one get away! 6.5" x 5.5" on polished face; 3/8" thick slab $149 |
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Maple (Acer sp.)
Eocene, Bridger Formation Eden Valley, Wyoming ** Here is an attractive slice with really good preservation of the woody fine structure. We love the color variation and contrasts on this slice -- it enhances the distinctiveness of the growth ring pattern. This one is out of an old collection and is cut thick - the old fashioned way! 6" x 3" on polished face; 3/4" thick slab $45 |