Hand-carved green malachite male lion Size: 6 1/2 x 2 1/4 x 3 inches = 16 cm x 7.8 cm x 5.0 cm; Weight: 1 lb. 3.8 oz. = 844 g; Moh’s hardness: 3.5 - 4.0; Provenance: private collection in Sarasota, Florida, USA; REFERENCE: Malachite was used as a mineral pigment in green paints from antiquity until c. 1800.[20] The pigment is moderately lightfast, sensitive to acids, and varying in color. This natural form of green pigment has been replaced by its synthetic form, verditer, among other synthetic greens. Malachite is also used for decorative purposes, such as in the Malachite Room in the Hermitage Museum,[21] which features a huge malachite vase, and the Malachite Room in Castillo de Chapultepec in Mexico City.[22] Russian tsars obtained malachite for decorating their castles, paneling the walls, and for beautiful inlaid works.[23] Another example is the Demidov Vase, part of the former Demidov family collection and now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[24] "The Tazza", a large malachite vase, one of the largest pieces of malachite in North America and a gift from Tsar Nicholas II, stands as the focal point in the center of the room of Linda Hall Library. In the time of Tsar Nicolas I decorative pieces with malachite were among the most popular diplomatic gifts.[25] It was used in China as far back as the Eastern Zhou period.[26] The base of FIFA World Cup Trophy has two layers of malachite.