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In 2011 we visited one of his favorite site along with a now 92-year-old collector most providers mountain find. Forestry workmade it it possible to do some small excavations, where very interesting lithophysae with agates inside could be found.
In the following excerpts from the Lapis articles about these findings by November 2012. The complete article can be found here (only in german).
Beautiful Rhyolithbreccia can be collected on the surface. These Rock-forming brecciae are having a dense structure, and are usually so hard that you can grind them and Polish. The color change from dark veined areas to the brownish red rhyolithe-fragments revealed an interesting jewelry material. These Breciae contain even small agate-leading lithophysae, so the pattern is sometimes similar to the "rainforest Jasper" of Mount Hay in Queensland. Below of these brecciated structures and very rarely above, the lithophysae can be found in the extremely decomposed rhyolite in one to two metres depth. Often, the lithophysae in small nests can be found - but sometimes digging a longer distance without finding a piece is usual.
The lithophysae themselves are very different from those of the Teufelskanzel. Its matrix is by deironization usually very bright, typically white. Lithophysae are rare with reddish brown matrix. Their size ranges from a pea to a pineapple. The comparison with the pineapple is sufficient to describe their outer skin. Pieces, which accommodate a large cavity inside, are showing a red-meshed network of agate on the outside. In between, the Lithophyse appears curved up. The network may also be absent, and individual vaults can be balls grown on in extreme form. Such Lithophysen are then similar to grape blocks. The form of the Lithophyse is flattened often spherical or ovoid.
The agate in the Interior of the lithophysae is usually intense red coloured, translucent rarely, usually opaque - due to the high number of pigments. Yellow shades and a faint blue-grey occurred only in a lithophyae. The rare reddish-brown type of lithophysae contains an early formed area of banded agate in a and intense orange-red, which contrasts beautifully against the brick red of the inner area. Along small cracks the agates are often partly discolored, making the pattern interesting.
Some agate-pattern are spectacular: the pi-agate (see the article) and the “shrimp” should be mentioned here.
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