Lucite Cube // Phosphorus

Phosphorus has been a staple of industry since the 1800s when it was found to be just the right ingredient for starting fires, thus beginning the phasing out of cumbersome flint-and-tinder methods of fire-starting. However, in those early days it was the white, and not red, allotrope that was used. White phosphorus is not only self-igniting but also extremely toxic. So, following large public scandals, the world slowly turned to the much less toxic red kind. And to this day, you see the brick red phosphorus on the side of matchbooks where it continues to have a presence in just about every home worldwide.

Not too long ago, phosphorus became mired in new controversy when a cheap process for making meth from cold medicine and phosphorus was revealed. While the phosphorus is in this case only a catalyst, the DEA quickly put a stop to unregulated commerce, giving rise to the almost comical sight of junkies buying up matchbooks by the hundreds to scrape off the phosphorus.

Although considerably more expensive than the normally-offered red type, this specimen stays on the good side of the Feds by offering a different form of the element; the so-called “violet” form of phosphorus. Also named “Hittorf’s phosphorus” this type was discovered in the 19th century by the eponymous chemist who derived it from the red by heating in a vacuum.

A gram of this exotic element sit as purplish crumbles inside a glass ampule which is itself suspended inside a perfectly made Lucite acrylic cube measuring 5 centimeters per side.