I'd say probably not. These paintings were a popular decorator item in the West about 60 years ago, and have come around again once or twice...
He's probably going to use the threat of melting them down into ingots.
It's found in Hawaii too. I don't think it's harvested there any more, but I still find a piece here and there.
Not a garnet I'm familiar with, although rubelite tourmaline might be a possibility. Pyrope garnets come that dark.
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