Australian Blue Grey Agate with 18K White Gold and Black Spinels - Mouse Carving - 339.25ct
This fine carving of a little mouse was made from Australian agate from the renown location Agate Creek in Far North Queensland. A remote outback valley with a breathtaking landscape where fossickers have been going for a very long time to dig an astounding array of agates, thundereggs and jaspers. The eyes are black spinel cabochons and the tail is 18K white gold.
The colour and shape of the original block of agate were absolutely perfect for a little grey mouse crouched upon a pebble. I think the agate has a lovely bluish tint which is nice. I enjoyed carving this piece, revealing the mouse hidden in a block of agate stone.
#BGJ118
Blue Grey Agate from Agate Creek, QLD, Australia
Black Spinels from Rubyvale, QLD, Australia
18K White Gold
Mouse Carving
Untreated
339.25 Carats
47x26x34mm
This fine carving of a little mouse was made from Australian agate from the renown location Agate Creek in Far North Queensland. A remote outback valley with a breathtaking landscape where fossickers have been going for a very long time to dig an astounding array of agates, thundereggs and jaspers. The eyes are black spinel cabochons and the tail is 18K white gold.
The colour and shape of the original block of agate were absolutely perfect for a little grey mouse crouched upon a pebble. I think the agate has a lovely bluish tint which is nice. I enjoyed carving this piece, revealing the mouse hidden in a block of agate stone.
#BGJ118
Blue Grey Agate from Agate Creek, QLD, Australia
Black Spinels from Rubyvale, QLD, Australia
18K White Gold
Mouse Carving
Untreated
339.25 Carats
47x26x34mm
This fine carving of a little mouse was made from Australian agate from the renown location Agate Creek in Far North Queensland. A remote outback valley with a breathtaking landscape where fossickers have been going for a very long time to dig an astounding array of agates, thundereggs and jaspers. The eyes are black spinel cabochons and the tail is 18K white gold.
The colour and shape of the original block of agate were absolutely perfect for a little grey mouse crouched upon a pebble. I think the agate has a lovely bluish tint which is nice. I enjoyed carving this piece, revealing the mouse hidden in a block of agate stone.
#BGJ118
Blue Grey Agate from Agate Creek, QLD, Australia
Black Spinels from Rubyvale, QLD, Australia
18K White Gold
Mouse Carving
Untreated
339.25 Carats
47x26x34mm
Carving a Little Grey Mouse
Here is shown the original block of agate with lovely bluish grey hues. I thought the shape ideal for a mouse. Can you can see it huddled there waiting?
Beginning with various tools I start the lengthy journey of shaping the mouse. I grind off the rough material to better see the shape I’ll be working with. I draw the pose and start to define it. It’s an engrossing process and really challenges one’s ability to visualise the unseen as it’s slowly revealed. It’s slow, steady work and an exercise in patience as I dial up the resolution.
Eventually the little mouse is well defined and needs the fur and finer details applied. First however, just like with faceting there is a prepolish before the final polish, so too is there a prepolish with this carving. To make sure that the fur is as smooth as I can make it I want to remove any coarseness that may be there on the body of the mouse from all the grinding and previous work by smoothing off the surface. Than I begin applying the mouse’s fur all over.
Once the little mouse is all nicely carved comes his little black spinel eyes and of course, his tail. I carve the tail out of wax which I then have cast in 18K white gold.
And at last, the little mouse is all finished.