Please help ID... Dyed or natch? What are these carved stones?

[himmelangst]

Bought at an auction advertised as ‘alabaster’ for probably too much, sorry about the photo quality. I do not have any more information about these pieces but any help is appreciated.
Thank you for your help!!

 

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[himmelangst]

I am sorry if I’m doing this wrong. I am not familiar with forum decorum.

 

[roy2bears]

I like pretty rocks, I think natcheral color

 

[islamoradamark]

Welcome to treasure net

 

[smokeythecat]

I like them. Its the kind of material that takes well to carving and dyeing. Either way, they are very nice. Welcome.

 

[TreasureCatto]

They all have their natural color. The first two are most definitely marble, a type of Pink... and black respectively. Is there any stamp or imprint on the bottom(on any)? Cant say much on the third one. They're sure nice pieces though.. Wait and see if DDancer will chime in.

Welcome

 

[NJearthman]

Pyramid looks like granite with quartz veins and serpentine (green mineral) mixed in. Interesting how the artist positioned the original stone so that the light colored inclusions form the cap stone. A whole lot off geological stuff going on in that piece.

 

[himmelangst]

Pyramid looks like granite with quartz veins and serpentine (green mineral) mixed in. Interesting how the artist positioned the original stone so that the light colored inclusions form the cap stone. A whole lot off geological stuff going on in that piece.

Thank you! I was wondering if the green could be some kind of olivine but I guess not if it is in a quartz inclusion. If it’s granite could the green be possibly epidote? I know it’s often formed with quartz in veins of granite; I didn’t even think of serpentine, that’s an interesting possibility too! I’m also not convinced the blue pyramid isn’t Brazilian agate... Definitely a lot going on in that granite piece though. I can’t wait to get it in the mail!!

 

[Clay Diggins]

They do appear to be ornamental alabaster. The darker one appears to be dyed, the others may be natural colors. These decorative alabaster pyramids have been popular at various times for more than 300 years and are still being produced today. Often they are misidentified as being marble, onyx or granite. Your seller was obviously more honest or knowledgeable than many. These appear to be more modern in form.

Alabaster is a massive fine grained form of the mineral gypsum. It's often mistaken for marble which is a metamorphic rock (not a mineral) that may contain gypsum. They are both carbonates.

Alabaster is soft compared to most marble and often does not polish well. To give a harder surface and a better polish alabaster carvings are commonly varnished or coated in a resin after being carved. Sometimes the gypsum is crushed and colored then recast with resin to make more interesting and better matching "rock".