Featured in this lot is this large Polished Malachite Vide Poche Bowl. Malachite is an ancient gemstone derived from the Greek word Mallache, which means 'green'. It gets its name because of its color that resembles a green spot on peacock feathers. This unique gemstone shares its traits with Turquoise and Tourmaline and is associated with fertility, death, afterlife, and resurrection. This natural stone has a natural concave bowl that displays concentric whorls unique to malachite. A gemstone possessing an opaque green colour, malachite has a richness and vibrancy that is unmatched, malachite is the instantly recognizable, beautiful, deep rich-green gemstone that adorns so many prize antiques. The technique of making a piece out of bronze or marble and then coating in with slices of malachite is known as 'Russian Mosaic.' Many of the oldest sources of malachite have since been depleted, and today, while rare, it is most commonly found in Africa, Australia, and the United States, in the state of Arizona particularly. The Vide Poche bowl shows a abnormal shape and is round in areas with higher peaks on two sides of the bowl. The condition of this Vide Poche bowl is is good with no obvious signs of damage and shows good overall condition. The measurements of this Vide Poche bowl is 3" x 6 1/4" x 5 1/2". The collective weight of this bowl is 5lb 8oz. Provenance: the Owen D. Mort, Jr. Collection. Owen David Mort was an American engineer who amassed an impressive collection throughout his worldwide travels. His collection has included art, artifacts and other historical items from which he has donated to museums at the University of Utah and Snite Museum of Art, the University of Notre Dame, including African and Afghan artifacts.