This is another one of a collection of precious and semiprecious stone carvings we recently purchased from a retired professor of gemology. It was his personal collection and each one is the best of the best.. This one is a beautiful tiger's eye with very unusual patterns. It is about half gold and half darker brown. It is even more beautiful in hand. Photos do not do this piece justice.

There is so much to say about both the subject matter and the medium from which it is made. It is so interesting to research ancient (and current) beliefs about different stones and different animals. For me, it is time spent quite enjoyably.

The Tiger’s Eye crystal properties are said to encourage you to live boldly, fiercely and bravely in all aspects of your life.

Cats in Egypt Ancient Egyptians called the cats Mau and domesticated them about 4,000-5,000 years ago. Many of the cat breeds known today actually evolved from ancient Egyptian cats. Ancient Egyptians highly worshipped and respected felines and protected them by law. In fact, cats were so sacred that when a family cat passed on, the whole clan would go into mourning and the animal would be mummified and buried in a special cemetery.It is from the Egyptians that the myth of cats having nine lives originated. They gifted the animal with nine lives due to its miraculous ability to always land on its feet.

There are stories about cats in folklore from so many countries around the world. Cats are fascinating creatures.

Medium: Tiger's Eye (identified by our gemologist).

Size: Approximately 2 inches tall; approximately 5/8 inches deep; approximately 1 inches wide..

Condition: Excellent Vintage Condition. Because of the many colors and deepness of the colorations of the stone, and the depth of color, there is an area on the tail that looks almost black. In hand it is obviously the stone's colors.

Please note that the physical colors of this item may vary from the pictures in the listing, given the quality of the camera, the lighting and the background used.

(If you buy more that one item of approximately the same size each additional item is only $1.00 shipping each).