Naturally occurring Neo Valley Chrysanthemum stones are very rare. The radiating three dimensional calcite crystals of “Last Flower of Autumn” form an attractive pattern and the contrast between the “flower-like” mineral formations and the color of the matrix stone is excellent. The stone—14.5 cm wide, 13.5 cm high, and 8 cm deep—has a slightly rough texture over most its surface, and does not appear to have been polished or worked. There is a second less well defined “flower” on the reverse side of the stone.

The stone originated in Neo Valley in Gifu Prefecture; however, the exact date of its collection is unknown. It was acquired in the early 1980s by George Yamaguchi, a bonsai nurseryman in West Los Angeles and sold to Ralph Johnson in 1987. This was Johnson’s first chrysanthemum stone. It remained in his collection until April 21, 2011 when he presented this stone to Tom Elias.