According to Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals, the opal is called the “Americus Australis” and weighs in at more than 11,800 carats. It has a long history.
It was last seen in a linen closet in Big Lake, north Anchorage by Fred von Brandt who mines in Alaska for gold and whose family is deeply involved in the gem- and rock business.
The opal is bigger than a brick, and it is cut into two pieces. Von Brandt stated that this was a technique used to demonstrate gem quality decades ago.
Von Brandt stated that the stone was in his family from the 1950s when it was purchased by John Altmann, an Australian opal dealer.
Von Brandt stated that the opal had been in the custody of Guy von Brandt for many decades. He decided that the opal was “locked up too long” and it was time to be released into the world, to see what interest it generates.
Von Brandt stated to The Associated Press that he had given me the task of determining which direction to take to get rid of the stone.
He said that the family, which has California roots, displayed the stone at various gem shows over the years until the 1980s. His father expanded his business into furniture, and he displayed the stone at his shop. Guy von Brandt eventually moved from Oregon to keep the stone, von Brandt stated.
Von Brandt stated that he took it to Alaska more than a year ago because he was trying to decide the best way to sell it. He stated that he chose Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals as it was more likely to be noticed than a larger company. The sale will take place on Sunday.
Nick Cline, a partner at Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals and an appraisal specialist, stated that the family has documentation regarding the origin of the opal. He also reached out to Fiona Altmann (granddaughter of John Altmann) as part of his research. She is the general manager at Altmann + Cherny, Sydney, Australia.
Altmann stated that her grandfather made frequent trips to Europe and the U.S. for business purposes.
Altmann stated that Cline emailed her and she was skeptical. The name of the stone in particular threw Altmann. She said that she began digging and found “something with my grandfather’s handwriting, the picture of an opal and the word ‘Americus Australis.’”
She said, “I can 100% confirm that their provenance information matches what I have.”
According to the auction house, the stone was found in the same Australian field as the “Olympic Australis” opal. It weighs 17,000 carats. According to Altmann’s company, the Olympic was among the stones John Altmann and Rudi Cherny purchased in 1956.
Auction company Cline wanted a minimum bid to be $125,000 for Sunday’s auction. Cline stated that it was a calculated risk. The company decided to take a conservative approach in the hopes of attracting the most attention.
Cline stated that they were honored to auction this one-of-a kind specimen.
A smaller piece of the opal, which von Brandt claimed his father had cut off, is included in the sale. It can be worn or displayed.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the opal was sold for $143,750. The updated price was based on an updated estimate from the auction house, which also included the buyer’s premium.
