The Robert Elliott Meteorite Collection: Part 3 Tuesday, 20th August, 2013 33 Broughton Place Edinburgh
The Robert Elliott Meteorite Collection: Part 3 Tuesday, 20th August, 2013 at 2pm Viewing Thursday, 15th August 10am – 5pm Friday, 16th August 10am – 5pm Saturday, 17th August 12 noon – 4pm Sunday, 18th August 12 noon – 4pm Monday, 19th August 10am – 5pm Morning of Sale from 9am Enquiries Gavin Strang
Sale Number LT397
Front Cover: Lot 30 Inside Front: Lot 54 (detail) Inside Back: Lot 85 (detail) Catalogue £5 Enquiries and Commission Bids Lyon and Turnbull Ltd. 33 Broughton Place Edinburgh EH1 3RR Tel. 0131 557 8844 Fax. 0131 557 8668 email: info@lyonandturnbull.com www.lyonandturnbull.com
Illustrations of all lots are available at www.lyonandturnbull.com Buyers’ Premium 25% up to £25,000 20% thereafter. VAT will be charged on the premium at the rate imposed by law. (see our Terms and Conditions of Sale).
LY O N & T U R N B U L L Important information for buyers
Buying at Auction This sale is subject to our standard Terms and Conditions of Sale. If you have not bought at auction before we will be delighted to advise you. Estimates Estimates are printed below each lot and do not include the buyer’s premium. The sale will be conducted in pounds sterling. Dimensions Dimensions are for guidance only; it is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that they are correct. Buyer’s Premium The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon. 25% up to £25,000 / 20% thereafter. VAT will be charged on the premium at the rate imposed by law. (see our Terms and Conditions of Sale). VAT The symbol † by a lot number indicates that VAT is payable by the purchaser at the standard rate on the hammer price. The symbol * by a lot number indicates that the lot has been temporarily imported from outside the EU and that VAT is payable by the purchaser at the rate of 5% on the hammer price. No VAT is payable on the hammer price or premium for books bought at auction. Droit de Suite This symbol § indicates works which may be subject to the Droit de Suite or Artist’s Resale Right, which took effect in the United Kingdom on 14th February 2006. We are required to collect a royalty payment for all qualifying works of art. Under new legislation which came into effect on 1st January 2012, this applies to living artists and artists who have died in the last 70 years. This royalty will be charged to the buyer on the hammer price and in addition to the buyer’s premium. It
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will not apply to works where the hammer price is less than €1,000 (euros). The charge for works of art sold at and above €1,000 (euros) and below €50,000 (euros) is 4%. For items selling above €50,000 (euros), charges are calculated on a sliding scale. All royalty charges are paid to the appropriate collecting organisation and no handling costs or additional fees are retained by the auctioneer. Resale royalties are not subject to VAT. Please note that the royalty payment is calculated on the rate of exchange at the European Central Bank on the date of the sale. More information on Droit de Suite is available at www.dacs.org.uk Damage and Restoration Occasionally, when a lot has suffered extensive damage and/or restoration it is indicated in the catalogue. This is mentioned entirely at our discretion for the benefit of buyers. Where there is no mention of damage and/or restoration this should not be taken to mean that there is none. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that the condition of lots is to their satisfaction (see our Terms and Conditions of Sale). Condition Reports If potential buyers are unable to inspect lots in person our specialists will be happy to prepare detailed Condition Reports on individual lots as quickly as possible. These are for guidance only and all lots are sold ‘as found’ (see our standard Terms and Conditions of Sale). Electrical Goods Lots that were once operated by mains electricity are bought entirely at the buyer’s risk. They are offered for sale for display or historical purposes and may not comply with current regulations. Bidding At the Sale To bid at the sale all potential buyers must be registered with us
on or before the day of sale. We will need proof of identification and residence, and may require a bank reference. Potential buyers must collect a bidding number before the sale begins, and show that number if successful in purchasing a lot. Please ensure that the auctioneer repeats the number correctly when confirming the sale. If there is any doubt at this stage as to the hammer price or buyer it must be brought to the auctioneer’s attention immediately. All lots will be invoiced to the name and address given on your registration form, which is nontransferable. If you have purchased a lot you may take your bidding number to the accounts department and receive an invoice immediately. If you have not been successful please leave the number at the Registration or Reception desks. In writing Bid forms are available at the sale and/or the back of the catalogue. These should be submitted in person, by post, or by fax as soon as possible prior to the sale and we will bid on your behalf up to the limit indicated. In the event of receiving two identical bids the first one received will take precedence. They must be received at the very latest at least an hour before the sale. We will do our utmost to execute these bids but we offer this service entirely at the bidder’s risk. Telephone bidding If you are unable to attend the sale we can normally arrange for you to bid on the telephone. This service is available entirely at our discretion and at the bidder’s risk. All telephone bids must be confirmed in writing, listing the relevant lots and appropriate number to be called. We recommend that a covering bid is also left in the event that we are unable to make the call. We cannot guarantee that lines will be available, or that we will be able to call you on the day, but will endeavour to undertake such bids to the best of our abilities.
Live Online Bidding Live online bidding facilities are available through our website and Artfact.com. You must register in advance of the sale for this service. All registrations are subject to approval. Our live auctions are run by Artfact, there is an additional 3% plus VAT for this service. Please note that live online bidding may be subject to technical issues/ restrictions. Methods of Payment Goods purchased will not be released until we have received full payment. Bank Transfer Please find details in any email invoice we issue or upon request from our accounts department. Cash Cash payments can be made at the accounts desk during or after a sale. Credit or Debit Cards Payment can be made by Visa Debit, Maestro, Mastercard or Visa Credit cards. Please note there is a 2% surcharge on credit card payments and we do not accept Amex.. Online Payments We no longer accept card payments by phone, please use our online payment service (powered by Worldpay). You will find a link to this service in any email invoice issue or you can visit the payments section of our website. Cheque Cheques should be made payable to Lyon and Turnbull Ltd. We reserve the right to wait until cheques have been cleared by our bankers before releasing bought goods. Cheques can be cleared prior to sale on request. Cheques drawn by third parties cannot be accepted. If paying by post please include the slip from your invoice. Collection It is the buyer’s responsibility to ascertain collection procedures, particularly if the sale is not being held at our main saleroom.
ROBERT ELLIOTT: A BIOGRAPHY
Following two very successful sales from Rob Elliott’s collection in 2009 and 2011, events which captured worldwide attention, we are delighted to now be offering the third part of his collection. Rob Elliott’s passion for all-things science and space began at the early age of 8 years old, just as Apollo 11 prepared to land on the Moon. Living under the bright lights of a London suburb made viewing the night sky difficult at best, but Rob’s interest as a junior amateur astronomer grew and developed into a keen interest in comets, meteors and meteorites in particular. During his late teens, Rob studied electronic engineering in London and pursued a long career as an electronics engineer, working on military defence electronic systems for both the British and American governments. Married to Irene and with three children, Rob left England in 1987 and was relocated to Fife, Scotland to join a new team working on a space project for US Defence. Rob’s first introduction to meteorites came by chance in the 1990’s while skimming through the small ads in the back pages of an astronomy magazine. After much deliberation (disbelief that was quickly resolved by checking ‘meteorites’ in the family’s encyclopaedia!), Rob purchased a small polished and etched slice for a few dollars, and began a passionate hobby that was destined to grow into something far bigger. Several more purchases followed and Rob put together a modest collection of different meteorites, found in various countries across the world. As a sideline, Rob found that he could fund and increase his collection by re-selling any duplicates, as well as selling pieces removed from his larger meteorites. With some sales success behind him and with the full support and backing of his wife Irene, Rob decided to throw his full effort into the business of buying and selling meteorites for a living. Rob also approached several museums, scientists and curators who might be interested in studying the material, or simply adding it to their own meteorite collections. As most museums prefer to exchange meteorites for other types rather than to purchase them outright, Rob became a frequent visitor, meeting with the curators of some of the top institutions and museums of natural history around the world. This exchange and bartering in meteorites allowed Rob to acquire many rare, important and historical meteorites which had never been available to private collectors before. Over the following years, Rob built a highly respected, world-
class meteorite collection and he ranked as one of the world’s top meteorite dealers. His customers have included people from all walks of life: devoted meteorite collectors, well-known celebrities and artists, renowned scientists, and just about anyone who wanted to experience and own a 4,500,000,000 year old ‘rock from space’. As well as buying and selling, Rob has spent many years hunting for meteorites: in the hot deserts, mainland Europe, and also much closer to home in the British Isles – often with a TV film crew in-tow. Rob is currently involved with several projects for television, as both meteorite consultant and presenter. All meteorites are extremely rare and elusive, although three notable British meteorites stand out from all of his successful ‘hunting’ finds – the Glenrothes meteorite, which he found in Fife, Scotland in 1998, the particularly rare Hambleton pallasite meteorite found in North Yorkshire, England in 2005, and more recently the Strawberry Fields meteorite found in Perthshire, Scotland in 2011. These remain the only confirmed and officially authenticated meteorites that have ever found by chance in the United Kingdom. Rob has now retired as a full-time meteorite dealer and collector, deciding instead to put all of his efforts into meteorite hunting in the UK – an expensive endeavour with highly unpredictable results! To fund this, the third part of the Robert Elliott Meteorite Collection will be auctioned and made available to serious meteorite collectors, enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
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Belle Plaine (Sumner County, Kansas, USA) L6 (stone) – found 1960 Only three stones were found, within a two mile strip SE of Belle Plaine; the first was found in 1950, the second a few years later and the third in 1963. A large, full slice through the diameter of the meteorite highly polished to reveal chondrules and bright metal flake, this slice has been cut extremely thinly for maximum surface area to weight ratio. 1 FF465/308 Belle Plaine polished full slice 93.15g, 190 x 180mm Provenance: ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £500-700
NWA 2932 (Northwest Africa) Mesosiderite (stone) – found 2005 A beautiful example of a mesosiderite, containing large, spherical metal nodules and an abundance of nickel-iron metal flake. Mesosiderites are produced in the collision between two asteroids, resulting in the mixing of their stone and iron contents. This specimen has been expertly prepared and provides maximum surface area to weight ratio. 2 FF465/309 NWA 2932 polished full slice 14.15g, 90 x 70mm Provenance: ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £200-300
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NWA xxx unclassified (Morocco) (stone) – found 2001 Stony meteorites, all collected by wandering nomads from undisclosed locations in the deserts of Morocco and Algeria. The exact find location of the meteorites is often kept secret, so that the finder can return to the location and recover further finds.
3 FF465/313 NWA xxx individual 791g £300-400
4 FF465/312 NWA xxx individual 626g £300-400
5 FF465/311 NWA xxx fragment 695g £300-400
6 FF465/310 NWA xxx polished full slice 120.3g £80-120
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Zag (Morocco) H3-6 regolith breccia (stone) – fell 4th/5th March 1998 After a huge fireball and loud explosions that were seen and heard for hundreds of miles, this meteorite fell to Earth in Morocco during early March 1998. Zag has since been given the rather rare and unusual classification of an H3-6 regolith breccia. Blue halite salt crystals have since been found in the H3 regions of some pieces, containing extraterrestrial liquid water. Zag is only the second known meteorite ever to feature this. With its velvet black fusion crust and light coloured interior, this is superb, very fresh example of a chondrite meteorite. The fusion crust on the reverse side also bears witness to a hard impact, with linear scrapes and scratches caused when the meteorite skidded during landing.
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7 FF465/314 Zag individual 1,320g Provenance: ex-Bruno Fectay Collection ÂŁ1,200-1,800
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Roundup (Musselshell County, Montana, USA) IIIAB (iron) – found 1990 A beautiful medium octahedrite which shows a clearly defined Widmanstattern pattern when etched. The Widmanstatten crystal structure forms after an extremely long rate of cooling, in the order of thousands to millions of years. It cannot be reproduced and offers unique proof of a meteoritic origin. Roundup has quite a low total known weight for an iron meteorite, of just 17.7kg. 8 FF465/315 Roundup etched part slice 66.55g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £250-350
Chulafinnee (Alabama, USA) IIIA (iron) – found 1873 An historical iron meteorite with a low total known weight and a peculiarity. A mass of about 16kg was ploughed up by a farmer in Alabama in 1873. Analysis showed a curious alteration to the Widmanstatten figures which showed that the iron had been subjected to artificial heating at some time during it’s terrestrial age, prior to being recognised as a meteorite. The artificial heating had been high, in the order of 800°C/1472°F and applied for a very long period of time, long enough to penetrate deep within the iron mass. This 800°C mark is about the temperature where an iron octahedrite will completely lose its Widmanstatten figures. Chulafinnee is a medium octahedrite; the Widmanstatten figures are still visible, though artificial heating has caused partial recrystallization and a granular appearance to the etched face. 9 FF465/316 Chulafinnee etched part slice 50.25g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £300-400
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Barwell (Leicestershire, England, UK) L6 (stone) – fell 24th December 1965 Affectionately known as the “Christmas Meteorite”, the Barwell meteorite fell to Earth on the small English town of Barwell at 4:20pm on Christmas Eve 1965. The huge aerial explosion and sonic boom shook the town and scared residents. Some fragments bounced off a car, one broke a house window and ended up in a plant pot (the owner unwittingly threw it away!). Larger pieces put a sizeable crater in a resident’s driveway and another penetrated a garage roof, pierced the bonnet of the parked car, and wedged itself alongside the engine block. Christmas carollers later reported that they had walked over fragments of the meteorite without recognising their significance. The Barwell meteor exploded at a low altitude, meaning that all Barwell specimens are fragments, some with patches of fusion
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crust. It has been estimated that if all the pieces were fitted together, the complete meteorite would, appropriately enough, be about the size of a Christmas turkey. The two Barwell specimens offered here were collected on 6th January 1966 by Mrs Jean Ferguson (nee McKellar) former Keeper of Geology at Leicester Museum. Jean has kindly hand-written and signed a letter of provenance, detailing her time in the Barwell strewnfield and her discoveries. A photograph of Jean and several academics from Leicester and London, standing around a Barwell crater, is also included. A rare opportunity to acquire large specimens of one of Britain’s most noteworthy meteorite falls with impeccable provenance.
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10 FF465/321 Barwell fragment; and original documentation 95.87g Provenance: ex-Jean Ferguson Collection ÂŁ3,500-4,500 Illustrated sitting on top of photograph on opposite page
11 FF465/320 Barwell fusion crusted fragment; and copy of documentation 93.54g Provenance: ex-Jean Ferguson Collection ÂŁ3,500-4,500
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Zerhamra (Algeria) IIIA (iron) – found 1967 In a similar fashion to the Chulafinee meteorite, this iron has undergone reheating and recrystallization, although in this instance while the meteoroid was still in space. The re-heating has created an unusual appearance to the cut and etched faces. Traces of the original medium octahedrite crystal boundaries can still be seen, but the overall appearance of the etched face is granular, almost as if the Widmanstatten figures are out of focus. Seldom available to private collectors, the etch on this rare iron meteorite tells its own story of the conditions and extremes endured over billions of years in space. 12 FF465/317 Zerhamra etched part slice 28.8g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £250-350
Tagish Lake (Tagish Lake, British Columbia, Canada) C2-ung. (stone) – fell 18th January 2000 A brilliant fireball followed by loud detonations was widely observed over the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia on 18th January 2000. This is a remarkable new and very rare carbonaceous chondrite – a matrix dominated chondrite with a few small chondrules, CAI’s and isolated grains. Much of this unique fall is now lying at the bottom of a lake and lost forever, however a few pieces were legally exported and made available to private collectors. 13 FF465/318 Tagish Lake multiple fragments 0.132g Provenance: ex- Blaine Reed Collection £80-120
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Leighlinbridge (Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland) L6 (stone) – fell 28th November 1999 At approximately 10:10pm on Sunday 28th November 1999, a bright fireball blazed across the night sky over Carlow town, County Carlow, Ireland and exploded in a huge detonation that was seen and heard by many of the local folk. Eyewitnesses have described the fireball as being “as bright as the full moon” and “it turned night into day”. Shortly afterwards, once the sound waves reached the stunned observers, a loud detonation was heard that has been described as “Massive!”, “it shook houses”, “security guards feared an explosion”, “people were too scared to go outside”. Despite such dramatic light and sound displays, a total of only 271g was recovered after Rob Elliott offered a cash reward in the local newspapers and radio stations. 14 FF465/319 Leighlinbridge fusion crusted fragment 1.334g £200-300
NWA 1566 (Morocco) Rumurutiite R3.8 (stone) – found December 2001 A rumurutiite type meteorite from a very rare group, with only one documented fall. Rumurutiites differ from ordinary chondrites in that most of the nickel-iron has oxidised while still in space. Nomads searching the desert sands for meteorites found this specimen. R-chondrites represent the newest chondrite group. 15 FF465/322 NWA 1566 polished fragment 3.12g £80-120
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High Possil (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland) L6 (stone) – fell 5th April 1804 After detonations, a stone of about 10lb was seen to fall in a quarry, and break into two pieces. The High Possil meteorite was one of a number of falls of the early 19th century, which were investigated thoroughly, helping to prove that rocks and stones really do fall from the sky. Most of the High Possil meteorite has been lost and very little remains in museum collections. It has been un-available to private collectors until recent months, when a singular few grams came out of the collection of a group of professors from Harvard University. 16 FF465/323 High Possil part slice 0.756g Provenance: ex-John Schooler Collection £300-400
Zaklodzie (Lubelskie County, Poland) (enst achon-ungr) (stone) – found September 1998 Mr. Stanislaw Jachymek found an 8.68 kg stone, partially covered with fusion crust, beside a dirt road while searching for rocks and fossils. This strange meteorite proved to be something of an enigma during study, but has now been classified and officially accepted as a rare enstatite achondrite-ungrouped. 17 FF465/325 Zaklodzie part slice 4.618g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £350-450
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Dar al Gani 412 (Libyan Sahara Desert) CK5 (stone) – found 1998: A rare and unusual CK type carbonaceous chondrite. In cut sections, this meteorite has a green/grey colour to the matrix and is peppered with small black chondrules. 18 FF465/324 Dar al Gani 412 fusion crusted part slice 3.748g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £150-250
Kunashak (Chelyabinsk Province, Russia) L6 (stone) fell 11th June 1949 About 20 stones fell from an evening fireball over Chelyabinsk Province, Russia on 11th June 1949. Kunashak is a beautiful regolith breccia – broken fragments of rock, cemented together to form a new solid rock, from the near surface of an asteroid. Kunashak contains very fine, black shock veins and melt pockets. 21 FF465/332 Kunashak polished part slice 42.7g Provenance: ex-Blaine Reed Collection
Divnoe (Stavropol Territory, Russia) Ungrouped Achondrite (stone) – found 1981 A single mass of 12.7kg was found in a field after grass cutting. Divnoe is a primitive differentiated achondrite meteorite, similar in composition to brachinites, and originating in a parent body asteroid, which experienced partial melting.
£150-250
19 FF465/326 Divnoe polished part slice 1.7g
Chunks of iron were first recognised as meteorites after attempting to smelt them down into iron ingots. The high nickel content was too high for smelting, and analysis showed them to be something far more interesting and valuable.
Nantan (Guangxi, China) IIICD (iron) – found 1958 The fall of the Nantan meteorite may have been observed in 1516, although it is difficult to be 100% certain if this event was really connected with the meteorites discovered in 1958.
Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £150-250
Tulia (a) (Swisher County, Texas, USA) H3-4 brecciated (stone) – found1917 Two stones weighing 14.9kg and 8.9kg were ploughed up by a Texas farmer in 1917. Cut and polished sections exhibit an abundance of very bright metal flake, many beautiful type 3-4 chondrules and some superb brecciation in a dark matrix 20 FF465/327 Tulia (a) part slice 11.5g Provenance: ex-Monnig Meteorite Collection, Texas Christian University
£80-120
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22 FF465/335 Nantan individual 292.5g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £100-150
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Holbrook (Navajo County, Holbrook, USA) L/LL6 – fell 19th July 1912 “It’s raining rocks outside!” – the now famous phrase from a bewildered young boy, who suddenly found himself under a deluge of falling meteorites, before running inside to shelter. After the appearance of a smoke trail and loud detonations, a shower of stones fell around the town of Holbrook, Arizona during the early evening of 19th July 1912. Most Holbrook meteorites are the size of a pea or even smaller. The 2.2kg Holbrook individual offered here is a rare opportunity to acquire one of the largest specimens recovered from this historic fall, and one which has been carefully curated during its time on Earth. Holbrook meteorites of this size and weight simply do not appear on the collectors’ market.
23 FF465/329 Holbrook individual 2,240g Provenance: ex-Monnig Meteorite Collection, Texas Christian University
£6,000-8,000
This fusion crusted individual comes from the famed Oscar Monnig Meteorite Collection and is numbered M2.11
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NWA xxx (Morroco) CV3 This meteorite is still in analysis, but the classification has been determined as CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. Cut from a large 8.1kg mass, this superb slice is one of the largest, most spectacular CV3’s ever prepared; few have a greater surface area than this slice. The polished face of this extremely fresh meteorite shows an abundance of chondrules, dark carbonaceous inclusions, and large white calcium aluminium inclusions (CAI’s). CAI’s are literally “star-stuff”, the remnants of long dead stars that have exploded in supernova. At 4.6 billion years old, CAI’s are the oldest matter in the Solar System. This huge and spectacular CV3 slice has been expertly cut and prepared extremely thinly for maximum surface area to weight ratio. One of the largest CV3 slices in the World. Approximate dimensions: 205 x 155mm
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24 FF465/328 NWA xxx full slice 59.15g, 205 x 155mm Provenance: ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £1,200-1,800
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Sarir Quattusah 001 (Libyan Sahara Desert) LL(L)3 (stone) – found October 1994 A remarkable and beautiful example of a type 3 chondrite, changed little since formation, billions of years ago. Sarir Qattusah 001 was found in the Libyan Sahara Desert in October 1994. Classified as a rare LL(L)3, this meteorite is one of the most unequilibrated chondrites of all the petrologic types lower than 3.5 The total known weight of Sarir Qattusah 001 is a low 796g, making it very hard to obtain. Type 3 chondrites contain some of the most beautifully preserved chondrules, which have altered little since formation, and SQ001 is no exception. Cut sections reveal a sea of multi-coloured chondrules, so tightly packed together that very little matrix is visible between them. 25 FF465/330 Sarir Quattusah 001 part slice 14g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £250-350
Dar al Gani 190 (Sahara) CO3 (stone) – found October 1996 A rare type carbonaceous chondrite, discovered in the Libyan Sahara in 1996. The dark matrix reveals many small chondrules, some shock veining and a surprising amount of fine-grained metal flake. 26 FF465/331 Dar al Gani 190 full slice 57g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £300-500
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Imilac (Atacama Desert, Atacama, Chile) Pallasite (stony-iron) – found 1822 This ancient meteorite owes its survival to having landed in the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert. On smaller specimens, the olivine crystals have weathered-out long before the metal matrix – a reversal of the normal sequence of events. This effect produces Imilac “skeletons”; artistic shapes of nickel-iron metal, containing voids and sharp, sculpted edges. When thinly sliced, larger specimens reveal translucent olivine crystals (semi-precious peridot), surrounded by a web of iron. Pallasites are considered to be one of the most beautiful meteorites, reminiscent of a stained glass window when lit from behind. The slice offered here has been cut extremely thinly, to about the same thickness as a sheet of paper, and expertly polished.
27 FF465/334 Imilac full slice 12.6g, 85 x 50mm Provenance: ex-Blaine Reed Collection, ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £400-600
28 FF465/333 Imilac fragment 16.1g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £80-120
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Campos Sales (Ceara, Brazil) L5 (stone) – fell 31st January 1991 A beautifully fusion crusted specimen from the 1991 witnessed fall. A shower of stones fell in a rural area, approximately 18km East of the village Campos Sales. Meteorite hunters arrived 15 days later and recovered fresh meteorites from grain fields. According to local eyewitnesses, the shower came from a WSW direction.
29 FF465/336 Campos Sales fusion crusted individual 2,040g ÂŁ1,500-2,500
This Campos Sales individual was picked up by a local resident and put to a more practical use. Having no understanding of its great value or importance, it was used as a stand for holding heated peanut oil; traces of oil can be seen on one end of the meteorite. This specimen is beautifully fresh, with a velvet-like black fusion crust and a light coloured matrix. A superb example of a fusion crusted chondrite.
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Canyon Diablo (Coconino County, Arizona, USA) IAB (iron) – found 1891 The exquisite 3.5kg Canyon Diablo meteorite offered here has been naturally sculpted by Earth’s atmosphere, producing sharp points and surface “thumbprints” known as regmaglypts – evidence of a violent atmospheric passage, at speeds of several miles per second. Space art at its best. Canyon Diablo is one of the best known of all meteorites; from the mighty ¾ mile diameter crater on the plains near Canyon Diablo, Arizona, known as “Meteor Crater”. After the discovery of iron masses lying around the crater, lawyer and geologist Daniel Barringer recognized the crater as a potential site for mining valuable iron. Barringer staked mining claims on the site and began a search for the huge iron mass, which he believed to lie somewhere deep within the centre of the crater. Barringer spent $600,000 drilling scores of drill holes in the crater floor, searching for the mass without success. After 20 years, Barringer decided that the mass must lie under the South rim and drilled test holes there. Eventually, this too was abandoned. In 1908, it had been suggested that the large iron mass must have vaporised on impact, and the later discovery of tiny spherical iron droplets, considered to be the remains of the mass, lying NE of the crater, supported this theory. The crater is now operated by Meteor Crater Enterprises as a tourist attraction. 30 FF465/338 Canyon Diablo individual 3,500g Provenance: ex-Marvin Kilgore, Cornelis Baayens, Jan Bartels Collections
£1,200-1,800
31 FF465/337 Canyon Diablo individual with polished etched ‘window’ 610g Provenance: ex-Jim Brady Collection £300-500 18
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NWA 2737 (Northwest Africa) Chassignite (stone) – found 2000 Mars Rock. NWA 2737 is a sample of the sub-surface of the planet Mars, ejected from the Martian surface during a cosmic collision with a giant asteroid. Known as a Chassignite, after the first of its group, Chassigny – a meteorite fall in France in 1815. While several Mars rovers have explored the surface of Mars in recent years, these Martian meteorites remain the only samples of the Red Planet available to scientists and collectors alike. This specimen has been cut extremely thinly for maximum surface area to weight ratio, and expertly polished. 32 FF465/340 NWA 2737 part slice 1.5g, 45 x 30mm Provenance: ex-Bruno Fectay Collection, ex-Lucy Cullen Collection
£700-900
Cumberland Falls (Whitley County, Kentucky, USA) Aubrite (stone) – fell 9th April 1919 “Several stones fell, the largest, which broke into fragments, estimated to weigh 31lb (14kg), after the appearance of a fireball and detonations” – A.M. Miller (1919). Cumberland Falls has two different lithologies – light coloured enstatite and dark black chondritic clasts with sharp boundaries against the lighter portion. These chondritic clasts are unique to Cumberland Falls and ALH A78113, representing a primitive chondrite suite whose properties were established during primary nebular accretion and condensation. Cumberland Falls can be one of the most difficult aubrites to acquire. This specimen has been cut and prepared to the thickness of a sheet of paper for maximum surface area to weight ratio. 33 FF465/341 Cumberland Falls full slice 7.3g, 55 x 50cm Provenance: ex-A Langheinrich Collection, ex-Lucy Cullen Collection
£800-1,200
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NWA 2651 (Northwest Africa) Ureilite (stone) – found 2003 A ureilite is a rare type of stony meteorite that has a unique mineralogical composition very different from that of other stony meteorites. Named after the village Novy Urey, Mordovia Republic of Russia, where a meteorite of this type fell on 4 September 1886.
Dar al Gani 400 (Sahara) Lunar (stone) – found 1998 Moon rock. A 1.425 kg, partly fusion crusted stone was found in Dar al Gani in the Libyan Sahara during 1998. Analysis at the Max Planck Institute revealed a lunar origin – in fact from the Highland region of the lunar surface.
Compared to most other meteorites, ureilites have a high percentage of carbon in the form of graphite and nanodiamonds. The diamonds, which are rarely more than a few micrometres in diameter, are probably the result of high pressure shockwaves produced by collisions of the ureilite parent body with other asteroids.
One of the most treasured meteorites; originating from our closest neighbour, the Moon.
The diamonds within this meteorite make it extremely difficult to cut and polish. Often, ureilites are left un-polished after cutting, however this specimen has been expertly prepared to a high standard of polish and finish. This specimen has been cut extremely thinly for maximum surface area to weight ratio. 34 FF465/339 NWA 2651 full slice 2.9g, 60 x 50mm
36 FF465/343 Dar al Gani 400 crusted part slice 0.177g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £150-250 37 FF465/344 Dar al Gani 400 crusted part slice 0.184g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £150-250
Provenance: ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £200-300
Zegdou (Algeria) H3 (stone) – found August 1998 A French couple, while searching for meteorites in Algeria, found a single 6.7 kg stone.
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Fisher (Polk County, Minnesota, USA) L6 (stone) – fell 9th April 1894 To date, the Fisher meteorite is the only witnessed fall in the US state of Minnesota. Loud detonations were heard in April 1894; two months later, two stones were discovered.
Zegdou has been classified as an H3 chondrite and although weathered, contains many superb type 3 chondrules, shock veining and some large/very large light & dark clasts in the dark brown matrix. Unusually, the nickel iron metal flake in Zegdou is not evenly distributed throughout the matrix, but is bunched together in loose clumps.
A hard to get witnessed fall from Minnestota, seldom available to private collectors.
35 FF465/342 Zegdou part slice 6.8g
38 FF465/346 Fisher fusion crusted fragment 6.85g
Provenance: ex-Bruno Fectay Collection
Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection
£80-120
£200-300
The total known weight of this fall remains low at only 15kg, with some of the recovered specimens being lost over the past 100+ years.
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Limerick (County Limerick, Ireland) H5 (stone) – fell 10th September 1813 Narrative of an eyewitness quoted in ‘Nature’ 1885: “Friday morning, the 10th of September 1813, being very calm and serene, and the sky clear, about nine o’clock, a cloud appeared in the east, and very soon after I heard eleven distinct reports appearing to proceed thence, somewhat resembling the discharge of heavy artillery. Immediately after this followed a considerable noise, not unlike the beating of a large drum, which was succeeded by an uproar resembling the continued discharge of musketry in line. The sky above the place whence this noise appeared to issue became darkened and very much disturbed, making a hissing noise, and from thence appeared to issue with great violence different masses of matter, which directed their course with great velocity in a horizontal direction towards the west. One of these was observed to descend; it fell to the earth, and sank into it more than a foot and a half, on the lands of Scagh, in the neighbourhood of Patrick’s Well, in the county of Limerick. It was immediately dug up, and I have been informed by those that were present, and on whom I could rely, that it was then warm and had a sulphurous smell. It weighed about 17 lb., and had no appearance of having been fractured in any part, for the whole of its surface was uniformly smooth and black, as if affected by sulphur or gunpowder.”
39 FF465/348 Limerick part slice 34.75g £3,000-5,000
40 FF465/347 Limerick fusion crusted part slice 3.654g £400-600
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Dhofar 132 (Oman) Ureilite (stone) – found January 2000 Ureilites are a rare class of meteorite that are unrelated to other achondrites. Composed mainly of olivine and orthopyroxene pigeonite, and carbon in the form of diamond. These microscopic diamonds, formed by the intense shock of colliding asteroids, make ureilites incredibly difficult material to cut and prepare. 41 FF465/345 Dhofar 132 cut slice with crusted edge 20g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £400-600
Taouz 002 (Morocco) LL6 (stone) – found 1999 Apart from its brief entry in Meteoritical Bulletin #84, there is little more information available about this meteorite. Classified as an amphoterite, Taouz 002 is very fresh, having weathered little during its hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years, lying on the desert floor. In slices, Taouz 002 reveals a sugary texture with many light and dark inclusions in the matrix. 42 FF465/349 Taouz 002 crusted part slice 8.6g
Kilabo (Kilabo, Nigeria) LL6 (stone) – fell 21st July 2002 At 7:30pm local time, a brilliant fireball was seen over Hedeija, accompanied by loud detonations. Mr. Mallam Audu and several neighbours in Kilabo heard the stone fall and later recovered it. The meteorite lay in a crater measuring 35 cm wide by 20 cm deep and had fragmented on impact into many pieces. 43 FF465/350 Kilabo polished fragment with fusion crust 9.7g Provenance: ex-Planetary Studies Foundation, J M DuPont
Provenance: ex-Bruno Fectay Collection
Collection
£80-120
£80-120
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Chelyabinsk (Chelyabinsk, Oblast’, Russia) LL5 (stone) – fell 15th February 2013 A piece of the massive Russian meteor that gained worldwide media publicity earlier this year. On 15th February 2013, a small asteroid entered the Earth’s atmosphere over Russia, with an estimated speed of 41,000 miles per hour. At around 50 times the speed of sound, a huge, brilliant fireball was formed, brighter than the sun and bright enough to cause moving shadows on the ground, as it tracked across the sky.
brick wall of a factory was knocked down, and hundreds of windows were blown in, with up to 1500 residents being injured by flying glass. The event was captured on many car dashboard cameras and the videos quickly became worldwide news. Found just hours after the fall, this is one of the freshest Chelyabinsk meteorites available to collectors.
Due to its enormous velocity, the meteor exploded many times over Chelyabinsk at a height of about 15 miles. The explosions ripped the meteor apart, reducing the massive object into thousands of small, pea-sized meteorites, which were lost in the snow in and around Deputaskiy village.
44 FF465/352 Chelyabinsk fusion crusted individual 27.1g
Some seconds after the explosions, the pressure wave reached the ground, causing damage to people and property. A high
£400-600
Provenance: sourced directly from the finder in Chelyabinsk
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Campo del Cielo (Chaco, Argentina) IAB (iron) – found 1576 In 1576, a Spanish governor heard from the Indians of a large iron mass, which they claimed had fallen from heaven. An expedition was sent to investigate, under the command of Captain de Miraval who returned with several chunks of iron meteorite. Twelve craters are associated with this meteorite, the largest measuring 78 metres across. Carbon dating of burnt wood found within the craters date the fall as somewhere between 4000 – 6000 years old, consistent with the Indian accounts passed down over the centuries, that these rocks did indeed fall from the sky. The strewnfield, the location where meteorites are found, was fittingly named “Field of the Heavens” by the Indians.
45 FF465/354 Campo del Cielo large individual 34,200g Provenance: ex-Robert Cucchiara Collection £1,000-1,500
46 FF465/353 Campo del Cielo etched full slice 345g Provenance: ex-John Lacroix Collection £300-400
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Gao-Guenie (Burkina Faso, Western Africa) H5 (stone) – fell 5th March 1960 The inhabitants of Gao, a village of Burkina Faso in Western Africa, witnessed this meteorite fall first-hand, as several pieces of the meteorite fell through the roof of their huts. During flight through Earth’s atmosphere, the intense heat and pressure ripped the meteorite apart into many fragments, and these were scattered over a large area. After fragmenting, each piece continued to “burn” during flight, developing a thin, black oxide skin on the exterior, typical of stony meteorites and known as “fusion crust”. These are fresh individuals from a classic fall of stone meteorites. The 11kg Gao-Guenie individual is the largest piece of this fall available to private collectors.
47 FF465/357 Gao-Guenie large fusion crusted individual 11,000g Provenance: ex-Jan Bartels Collection £3,000-5,000
48 FF465/356 Gao-Guenie fusion crusted individual 745g Provenance: ex-Michael Casper Collection £600-900 49 FF465/355 Gao-Guenie fusion crusted individual 165.9g Provenance: acquired directly from the finder in Burkina Faso £150-250
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Noyan-Bogdo (Omnagov aymag, Mongolia) L6 (stone) – fell September 1933 The official recorded total known weight of Noyan-Bogdo is given as just 250g, although this is unlikely to be accurate, with later finds probably not added to the tally. There seems to be very little recorded history surrounding the fall of this meteorite. Presumably, the circumstances of the fall were regarded as secondary to the analysis of the meteorite itself, and not recorded. This is a difficult meteorite to add to a private collection, and seldom available on the open market. 50 FF465/358 Noyan-Bogdo fusion crusted part slice 21.1g Provenance: ex-Mike Bandli Collection £100-200
Bur-Gheluai (Bur-Hagaba district, Somalia) H5 xenolithic (stone) – found 16th October 1919 Bur-Gheluai is one of only two witnessed falls from this unusual locality, the other being an ordinary chondrite named Ergheo. In fact, Somalian meteorites total just three when the only “find” from this country, an iron named Uegit, is included. Bur-Gheluai is classified as a xenolithic H5 – zenoliths are inclusions within the matrix which are un-related to the host matrix itself. The heating and recrystallisation period of the zenolith also pre-dates the accumulation of the final mass. A meteorite that is seldom available to private collectors.
Carancas (Chucuito, Peru) H4-5 (stone) – fell 15th September 2007 Don’t let the small size of this piece deceive you – it was from a true crater forming meteorite event. A huge fireball entered the atmosphere over Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. Brighter than the Sun, the fireball tracked along the Peruvian border, producing a shock wave, which broke many windows in the town of Desaguadero. As the meteorite hit the earth, the ground shook and witnesses described seeing a mushroom cloud of smoke and steam rising from a 14 metre diameter crater. Locals reported that the crater rapidly filled with boiling water, and a nauseous smell of sulphur hung in the air. Many people close to the scene were hysterical with fear, which probably explains why so many were treated for a strange illness, which soon took hold. The meteorite blew itself apart on impact, into little pieces. Considering the huge size of the original mass, very little meteorite material was collected from near the crater, and all as small fragments. 52 FF465/361 Carancas fragment 5.7g Provenance: ex-Erwin Rivera Collection £200-300
Wiluna (Wiluna, Western Australia, Australia) H5 (stone) – fell 2nd September 1967 After a fireball and sonic effects, a shower of small stones fell 5 miles East of Wiluna Township.
51 FF465/360 Bur-Gheluai fusion crusted part slice 20g
This specimen of Wiluna is oriented, meaning that it kept its position during flight without tumbling. This produces a cone shaped meteorite, pointing to the direction of flight through Earth’s atmosphere.
Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection
A beautiful meteorite with fresh fusion crust and specimen labels on the side.
£150-250
53 FF465/362 Wiluna oriented individual 6.098g Provenance: ex- R A Langheinrich Collection, ex-Mike Bandli Collection
£80-120
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Muonionalusta (Kiruna, Norrbotten, Sweden) IVA (iron) – found 1906 This fine octahedrite iron meteorite exhibits a beautiful Widmanstatten pattern, proof of a cosmic origin. The meteorite was first described in 1910 by Professor AG Hogbom, who named it “Muonionalusta” after a nearby place on the Muonio River. Iron meteorites originate in the core of gigantic asteroids. Millions of years of extreme heat and pressure, plus a very slow cooling rate, enable the growth and separation of nickelrich and nickel-poor regions. These crystals can be made visible by etching with weak acid. 54 FF465/351 Muonionalusta etched full slice 382g Provenance: ex-Luc Labenne Collection £300-500
Allende (Chihuahua, Mexico) CV3 carbonaceous chondrite (stone) – Fell February 8th 1969 The Allende carbonaceous chondrite is the most studied meteorite to date, and from a scientific standpoint, one of the most important. Allende contains not only pristine chondrules and interstellar grains in the dark matrix, but also white calcium-aluminium inclusions (CAI’s), which at 4.6 billion years old, represent some of first material to have condensed in the solar nebula. This is the oldest material in the known universe, and certainly the oldest matter that mankind can ever touch. 55 FF465/363 Allende fragment 2.08g Provenance: ex-Arizona State University Collection, ex—Mike Bandli Collection
£80-120
Korra Korrabes (Namaland, Namibia) H3 (stone) – found November 1996 A farmer who was searching for pieces of the Gibeon iron meteorite discovered Korra Korrabes in a dry riverbed. Later searches yielded more specimens, including the largest mass, which was used in a garden wall. Korra-Korrabes contains type 3 chondrules, which have altered little since their formation 4.5 billion years ago. 56 FF465/364 Korra Korrabes part slice 95.8g Provenance: ex-Dr Ronnie McKenzie Collection £80-120 57 FF465/365 Korra Korrabes fragment 125.2g Provenance: ex-Dr Ronnie McKenzie Collection £100-150
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Whetstone Mountains (Benson, Cochise County, Arizona, USA) H5 (stone) – fell 23rd June 2009 A bright fireball with loud detonations and rumblings, caused moving shadows on the ground. On inclusion into the Meteorite Bulletin, the total known weight of Whetstone Mountains was only a little over 2kg, as a total of 10 small stones. This slice was cut and prepared from a stone found by Todd Parker. 58 FF465/359 Whetstone Mountains fusion crusted full slice 10.84g Provenance: ex-Todd Parker Collection, ex-Mike Bandli Collection £400-600
Seibert (b) (Kit Carson County, Colorado, USA) L6 (stone) – found 1991 A single 8.6 kg stone was found while ploughing a wheat field. By coincidence, this meteorite was found just 4 miles from the un-related Seibert (a) meteorite, found in 1941. Cut from near the centre of the main mass, this slice has a dark matrix with small and large brecciation and a web of black shock veining – evidence of a very violent distant past. This large slice has been cut extremely thinly, maximizing its surface area to weight ratio. 59 FF465/367 Siebert (b) full slice 45.4g, 170 x 140mm Provenance: ex-Blaine Reed Collection, ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £300-400
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Hambleton (Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England) Pallasite (stony-iron) – found 2005 The Hambleton meteorite was discovered in the heart of “James Herriot Country” in North Yorkshire. A single mass weighing 17.6kg was found by Rob and Irene Elliott while hunting for meteorites in the county. Pallasites are extremely rare. They are formed deep within the core/mantle boundary layer of a large asteroid, and account for just 1% of all known meteorites. The Hambleton meteorite has been the subject of a great deal of study at the Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute at the Open University.
In 2008, testing showed Hambleton to have been on Earth for around 220 years. This raises the possibility that Hambleton is associated with The Great Meteor of August 18th 1783, based on observations of the meteor’s track, passing over the east coast of Scotland and England. Hambleton is by far the rarest and scientifically most interesting meteorite recovered within the United Kingdom to date, and the jewel in the crown of British meteorites.
60 FF465/371 Hambleton crusted slab from the centre of the Hambleton mass 2,900g £7,000-10,000
61 FF465/369 Hambleton crusted part slice 41.8g £300-500
62 FF465/370 Hambleton crusted part slice 425g £1,200-1,800
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Sikhote-Alin Meteorite Ring These sterling silver rings contain a complete individual Sikhote-Alin meteorite, which fell to Earth on 12th February 1947 over Russia. This crater-forming event is the largest fall of iron meteorites in recorded history.
Gentleman’s Meteorite Wristwatch The dial of this watch has been fashioned from Muonionalusta iron meteorite and etched to reveal the Widmanstatten crystal structure, unique to iron meteorites. The Muonionalusta meteorite was discovered in Norrbotten, Sweden in 1906.
63 FF465/372 Sikhote-Alin meteorite ring sterling silver ring mounted with meteorite Size R, USA 9, 19mm diameter 64 FF465/373 Sikhote-Alin meteorite ring sterling silver ring mounted with meteorite Size R-S, USA 9.25, 19.3mm diameter
66 FF465/375 Gentleman’s meteorite wristwatch with quartz movement and stainless steel strap £300-500
£80-120
Gibeon Meteorite Ring/Wedding Band Fashioned from Gibeon iron meteorite, found in Great Namaland, Namibia in 1836. The ring has been etched to reveal the Widmanstatten crystal structure, a feature unique to iron meteorites, and electroplated in rhodium.
Lady’s Meteorite Wristwatch The dial of this watch has been fashioned from Seymchan pallasite meteorite and etched to reveal the Widmanstatten crystal structure, unique to iron meteorites. The Seymchan meteorite was discovered in the Magadan District, Russia in 1967.
65 FF465/374 Gibeon meteorite ring rhodium plated Size R, USA 9, 19mm diameter £200-300
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67 FF465/376 Lady’s meteorite wristwatch with quartz movement and leather strap £300-500
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Astronaut Meteorite Expedition Patch and Certificate (Antarctica) Meteoriticist, academic and science author Professor Paul Sipiera has led several teams to the South Pole, hunting for meteorites on the Antarctic ice. Early team members have included NASA astronauts Owen Garriott and Jim Lovell who found their first meteorites during this season. Listed here is an expedition patch carried to Pole, certified and hand signed in ink by the expedition leader and NASA astronauts. Owen Garriott has flown on NASA missions to Skylab and with Space Shuttle Columbia. James Lovell has flown on NASA missions Gemini 7, Gemini 12 and Apollo 8, but is probably best remembered for the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight, which turned into a rescue mission and latterly a Hollywood movie. 68 FF465/392 Astronaut mission patch and signed certificate Provenance: ex-Prof. Paul Sipiera Collection £80-120
Meteorite Art – “A Fall of Moondust” An original 1971 oil on board signed painting by H.Bosowitz, depicting a meteorite strike on the Moon’s surface and the dramatic release of Moon rock, which would travel through space and eventually fall to Earth as lunar meteorites. The painting was re-touched in 2012 by Robert Elliott, using three different lunar meteorites in the oil to highlight the Sunlit crater rims.
69 FF465/393 H BOSOWITZ A FALL OF MOONDUST Oil and moondust on board, signed and dated 1971 Moondust provenances: ex-Dr Weber, ex-Robert Haag, exMichael Casper Collections £150-250
The Moon rock fragments were ground into a fine powder, mixed within the white oil, and applied by brush, creating a genuine lunar landscape. In essence, the cycle is complete in returning the Moondust to the Moon. The official lunar meteorites used in this artwork are Dar al Gani 262, Dar al Gani 400, both found in the Libyan Sahara Desert, plus the incredibly rare and all but priceless Calcalong Creek lunar meteorite from Australia. All three lunar meteorites have been accepted and approved by the international Meteoritical Society and appear in the relevant Meteoritical Bulletins described with a lunar origin.
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Tsarev (Volgodad district, Federated SSR, USSR) L5 (stone) – found 1968 This meteorite most likely fell on 6th December 1922 after a fireball was sighted, although this has not been confirmed. The first mass was found in a field near Tsarev village in 1968 and recognised as a true meteorite in 1972. When sliced and very lightly polished, Tsarev reveals fine shock veining and some beautiful brecciation within the matrix. 70 FF465/366 Tsarev part slice 116g
Glenrothes (Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland, UK) H5 (stone) – found summer 1998 The Glenrothes meteorite is the first ever meteorite to be found on British soil. Several small fragments were found in relative close proximity to each other by Rob Elliott, and considered to be part of a small individual stone meteorite, which broke apart and fragmented during many years of freeze/thaw exposure to the UK’s cold & damp weather. The total known weight of this find is around 20g. This specimen is the second biggest piece of the Glenrothes meteorite; the largest 1.1g piece was donated to the collection of the Natural History Museum, London.
Provenance: ex-Ivan Kutyrev Collection, ex-Dr Weber Collection £100-200
Gibeon (Namibian Desert, Africa) IVA (iron) – found 1836 The Gibeon meteorite was first reported by Captain J.E. Alexander in 1836. He heard of large masses of native iron on the east side of the Great Fish River and was able to obtain samples for analysis. Europeans later established cattle ranches in the area and many more large iron meteorites were recognised and recovered. When cut, polished and etched with acid, Gibeon reveals a beautiful and unique pattern called Widmanstatten figures – a crystal structure formed by nickel-rich and nickel-poor metallic bands as a result of an extremely low rate of cooling over millions of years. This Widmanstatten structure is absolute proof of a meteoric origin for many iron meteorites, as it is not something that can be copied or forged in a lifetime. 71 FF465/378 Gibeon octahedral crystal of Gibeon 28g Provenance: ex-Dr Ronnie McKenzie Collection £80-120 72 FF465/379 Gibeon etched part slice 50.7g Provenance: ex-Nancy Sumner Collection £100-150
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73 FF465/377 Glenrothes polished fragment 0.962g £200-300
North Chile (Antofagasta, Chile) IIA Hexahedrite (iron) – found 1875 This rare meteorite is a hexahedrite – hexahedrites are a class of iron meteorite with a very low nickel content and a six-sided, cubic crystal structure. When etched, no familiar eight-sided Widmanstatten pattern appears; instead a fine series of parallel lines called Neumann Lines are revealed. 74 FF465/384 North Chile etched part slice 42g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £100-200
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Santa Vitoria Do Palmar (Santa Vitoria Do Palmar, Brazil) L3 (stone) – found March 2003 A huge slice through the diameter of Brazil’s latest meteorite find. Three stones were recovered in March 2003, near the city of Santa Vitoria do Palmar by Mr. Roberto Maciel, while collecting Indian arrows. Later in February 2004, Mr. Lautaro Correira found a fourth stone weighing 10.450 kg in the same area. Santa Vitoria Do Palmar may be associated with the 1997 bright and thunderous meteor over Santa Vitoria, which shook buildings and left local residents spellbound. This slice has a dark matrix with many type 3 chondrules (some are “armoured” – surrounded by a coating of nickel-iron), shock veining and dark inclusions. This large slice has been cut extremely thinly, to a similar thickness of a sheet of paper, maximizing its surface area to weight ratio. 75 FF465/368 Santa Vitoria do Palmar full slice 54.6g, 195 x 150mm Provenance: ex-Blaine Reed Collection, ex-Lucy Cullen Collection
£400-600
Strathmore (Perthshire, Scotland, United Kingdom) L6 (stone) – fell 3rd December 1917 Extract from The English Mechanic No. 2754. Jan. 4th 1918: “At about 1.18 p.m., when the Sun was shining in the south by west sky at an altitude of 10°, many persons in Edinburgh, Perth, Fife, and Forfar saw a brilliant meteor, which gave a startling flash and a series of thunder-like detonations. The direction of flight was from S.E. to N.W., and as seen from Edinburgh the meteor descended from high in the N.E. to low in the North. The sounds heard indicated the disintegration of the meteor and its comparative proximity. Three fragments fell, viz. (one) at Keithick Lodge, about 2 miles W.S.W. of Cupar Angus (weighing 2 ½ lbs.), where it penetrated the slate roof of the house; (two) at Carsie Farm, about 3 miles N.W. from Keithick (weighing 2 ¼ lbs.), where it was seen to fall into a grass field by a farmer’s wife standing about 20 yards
away; and (three) near Easter Essendy, 2 miles W.S.W. from Blairgowrie (weighing 22 ½ lbs), where it embedded itself in a grass field to the depth of 18 to 20 inches. The attention of the police was called to the startling event, and they took possession of the fallen bodies pending further investigations.” 76 FF465/380 Strathmore part slice 0.45g Provenance: ex-Natural History Museum Collection, London £80-120
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Strawberry Fields (prov.) (Perthshire, Scotland, United Kingdom) H5 (stone) – found June 2011 The United Kingdom’s latest meteorite discovery. Found by Rob Elliott while searching for remnants of the Perth 1830 meteorite in Perthshire, Scotland. This new find has recently been classified as an H5 by Glasgow University. Precise find location details have not yet been released as the finder wishes to continue searching the strewnfield in secrecy. The Strawberry Fields name will remain provisional until such time as the analysis and classification data is submitted to the Meteoritical Society.
77 FF465/382 Strawberry Fields (provisional) individual 190.15g £1,200-1,800
78 FF465/381 Strawberry Fields (provisional) individual 25.8g £200-300
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Henbury (Northern Territory, Australia) (IIIA), Medium Octahedrite (iron) – found 1931 The group of well-defined craters at Henbury in Australia’s Northern Territory represent some of the very best authenticated meteorite craters. The largest oval shaped crater measures 220 x 120 yards, and has a depth of around 50 feet. Their shape and the condition of the walls clearly indicate an explosive origin, and are associated with the many masses of meteoritic iron found in and around the craters. This beautiful slice has an edge of natural crust, and has been etched with weak acid to reveal the Widmanstatten crystal structure.
79 FF465/386 Henbury etched full slice 668g Provenance: ex-Marvin Kilgore Collection, ex-Cornelius Baayens, ex-Jan Bartels Collections £800-1,200
80 FF465/385 Henbury individual 38.5g £80-120
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Ochansk (Perm Province, Russia) H4 Brecciated (stone) – fell 30th August 1887 After the appearance of a bright meteor and loud detonations, a shower of stones fell in the village of Tabory near Ochansk. Many specimens of Ochansk were recovered after the fall, but most of this meteorite is locked away in museum collections, with very little available to private collectors. This specimen is an extremely fresh example of this historic fall. 81 FF465/391 Ochansk fragment 16.1g Provenance: ex-Blaine Reed Collection
Juancheng (Shandong Province, China) H5 (stone) – fell 15th February 1997 A brilliant fireball appeared, dropping sparks and smoke, which terminated in a loud explosion. This event occurred just days before the death of Chairman Deng Xiaopeng, and was seen as a prophecy of his impending doom. Superstition has meant that many specimens of the Juancheng meteorite will never leave China. 83 FF465/389 Juancheng fusion crusted individual 59.8g Provenance: ex-Dr Weber Collection £100-200
£80-120
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Acfer 209 (Aguemour, Tamanrasset, Algeria) CR2 (stone) – found 7th August 1991 One small stone weighing 475g was found in the Sahara Desert.
Nadiabondi (Diapaga, Gourma, Burkina Faso) H5 (stone) – fell 27th July 1956 This meteorite has been surrounded by controversy in recent years, as it has been suggested that some small Nadiabondi specimens are really substituted Gao-Guenie meteorites.
Classified as a rare Renazzo type carbonaceous chondrite, cut and polished sections of Acfer 209 reveal many “armoured” type 3 chondrules, which have altered little since the formation of the Solar System.
Rob Elliott, having personally studied many Gao-Guenies over two decades, notes this specimen is certainly different by visual appearance of the fusion crust, and feels confident in calling it a Nadiabondi.
82 FF465/387 Acfer 209 crusted part slice 1.256g
84 FF465/388 Nadiabondi oriented individual 17.5g
Provenance: ex-Munster University Collection
Provenance: ex-Michael Casper Collection
£100-200
£80-120
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Seymchan (Magadanskaya obalst’, Russia) Pallasite (stony-iron) – found 1967 A beautiful pallasite originating from deep within an asteroid. 85 FF465/390 Seymchan The original mass of this meteorite was found in the bed of a part slice stream flowing into the River Hekandue, a tributary of the 97.7g, 170 x 115mm Jasachnaja. Further expeditions to the area yielded more finds; some discoveries being true pallasites with their roughly 50:50 mix of olivine and iron, while others were comprised entirely of iron. The Seymchan slice offered here is the pallasite type, revealing olivine (peridot) crystals surrounded by a web of iron. This exquisite specimen has been cut extremely thinly, maximising the surface area to weight ration.
Provenance: ex-Lucy Cullen Collection £1,200-1,800
END OF SALE
When backlit, this stunning meteorite gives the appearance of an extra-terrestrial stained glass window.
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Scottish Silver & Accessories Monday, 19th August, 2013 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh EH1 3RR Selected highlights from the Jacobite collection of the late M. B. Sharp Enquiries Colin Fraser Tel: +44 (0)131 557 8844 colin.fraser@lyonandturnbull.com
w w w. lyo n a n d t u r n b u l l . co m
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Lyon & Turnbull carries on business with bidders, buyers and all those present in the auction room prior to, or in connection, with a sale on the following General Conditions and on such other terms, conditions and notices as may be referred to herein.
6. PAYMENT
1. DEFINITIONS In these Conditions: (a) “Auctioneer” means the firm of Lyon & Turnbull or its authorised auctioneer, as appropriate; (b) “deliberate forgery” means an imitation made with the intention of deceiving as to authorship, origin, date, age, period, culture or source but which is unequivocally described in the catalogue as being the work of a particular creator and which, at the date of the sale, had a value materially less than it would have had if it had been in accordance with the description; (c) “hammer price” means the level of bidding reached (at or above any reserve) when the auctioneer brings down the hammer; (d) “terms of consignment” means the stipulated terms and rates of commission on which Lyon & Turnbull accepts instructions from sellers or their agents; (e) “total amount due” means the hammer price in respect of the lot sold together with any premium, Value Added Tax chargeable and any additional charges payable by a defaulting buyer under these Conditions; (f) “sale proceeds” means the net amount due to the seller, being the hammer price of the lot sold less commission at the stated rate, Value Added Tax chargeable and any other amounts due to us by the seller in whatever capacity and however arising; (g) “You”, “Your”, etc. refer to the buyer as identified in Condition 2. (h) The singular includes the plural and vice versa as appropriate. 2. BIDDING PROCEDURES AND THE BUYER (a) Bidders are required to register their particulars before bidding and to satisfy any security arrangements before entering the auction room to view or bid; (b) the maker of the highest bid accepted by the auctioneer conducting the sale shall be the buyer at the hammer price and any dispute about a bid, which must be raised before the next lot is offered, shall be settled at the auctioneer’s absolute discretion. (c) Bidders shall be deemed to act as principals. (d) Once made, no bid may be withdrawn. (e) Our right to bid on behalf of the seller is expressly reserved up to the amount of any reserve and the right to refuse any bid is also reserved. 3. INCREMENTS Bidding increments shall be at the auctioneer’s sole discretion. 4. THE PURCHASE PRICE The buyer shall pay the hammer price together with a premium thereon. 25% up to £25,000 / 20% thereafter. VAT will be charged on the premium at the rate imposed by law. 5. VALUE ADDED TAX Value Added Tax on the hammer price is imposed by law on all items affixed with an asterisk (*) or dagger (†). Value Added Tax is charged at the appropriate rate
(1) Immediately a lot is sold you will: (a) pay to us the total amount due in cash or in such other way as is agreed by us. We accept cash, bank transfer (details on request), Switch or Debit Cards and Visa or MasterCard (please note there is a surcharge of 2% (VAT included) when using credit cards). We do not accept American Express. (2) any payments by you to us may be applied by us towards any sums owing from you to us on any account whatever without regard to any directions of you or your agent, whether express or implied. 7. TITLE AND COLLECTION OF PURCHASES (1) The ownership of any lots purchased shall not pass to you until you have made payment in full to us of the total amount due. (2) You shall at your own risk and expense take away any lots that you have purchased and paid for not later than four working days following the day of the auction or upon the clearance of any cheque used for payment after which you shall be responsible for any removal, storage and other associated charges. (3) No purchase can be claimed or removed until it has been paid for.
9. THIRD PARTY LIABILITY All members of the public on our premises are there at their own risk and must note the lay-out of the accommodation and security arrangements. Accordingly neither the auctioneer nor our employees or agents shall incur liability for death or personal injury (except as required by law by reason of our negligence) or similarly for the safety of the property of persons visiting prior to or at a sale. 10. COMMISSION BIDS While prospective buyers are strongly advised to attend the auction and are always responsible for any decision to bid for a particular lot and shall be assumed to have carefully inspected and satisfied themselves as to its condition we shall if so instructed clearly and in writing execute bids on their behalf. Neither the auctioneer or our employees or agents shall be responsible for any failure to do so. Where two or more commission bids at the same level are recorded we reserve the right in our absolute discretion to prefer the first bid so made. 11. WARRANTY OF TITLE AND AVAILABILITY The seller warrants to the auctioneer and to you that the seller is the true owner of the property consigned or is properly authorised by the true owner to consign it for sale and is able to transfer good and marketable title to the property free from any third party claims.
held and accept liability for opinions given negligently or fraudulently. Subject to the foregoing neither we the auctioneer or our employees or agents or the seller accept liability for the correctness of such opinions and all conditions and warranties, whether relating to description, condition or quality of lots, express, implied or statutory, are hereby excluded. This Condition is subject to the next following Condition concerning deliberate forgeries and applies save as provided for in paragraph 6 “information to buyers”. (2) Private treaty sales made under these Conditions are deemed to be sales by auction for purposes of consumer legislation. 16. FORGERIES Notwithstanding the preceding Condition, any Lot which proves to be a deliberate forgery (as defined) may be returned to us by you within 21 days of the auction provided it is in the same condition as when bought, and is accompanied by particulars identifying it from the relevant catalogue description and a written statement of defects. If we are satisfied from the evidence presented that the lot is a deliberate forgery we shall refund the money paid by you for the lot including any buyer’s premium provided that (1) if the catalogue description reflected the accepted view of scholars and experts as at the date of sale or (2) you personally are not able to transfer a good and marketable title to us, you shall have no rights under this condition.
(4) It is the buyer’s responsibility to ascertain collection procedures, particularly if the sale is not being held at our main saleroom and the potential storage charges for lots not collected by the appropriate time.
12. AGENCY The auctioneer normally acts as agent only and disclaims any responsibility for default by sellers or buyers.
The right of return provided by this Condition is additional to any right or remedy provided by law or by these Conditions of Sale.
8. REMEDIES FOR NON-PAYMENT OR FAILURE TO COLLECT PURCHASES
13. TERMS OF SALE
GENERAL
The seller acknowledges that lots are sold subject to the stipulations of these Conditions in their entirety and on the Terms of Consignment as notified to the consignor at the time of the entry of the lot.
17. We shall have the right at our discretion, to refuse admission to our premises or attendance at our auctions by any person.
(1) If any lot is not paid for in full and taken away in accordance with these Conditions or if there is any other breach of these Conditions, we, as agent for the seller and on their behalf, shall at our absolute discretion and without prejudice to any other rights we may have, be entitled to exercise one or more of the following rights and remedies: (a) to proceed against you for damages for breach of contract; (b) to rescind the sale of that lot and/or any other lots sold by us to you; (c) to resell the lot (by auction or private treaty) in which case you shall be responsible for any resulting deficiency in the total amount due (after crediting any part payment and adding any resale costs). Any surplus so arising shall belong to the seller; (d) to remove, store and insure the lot at your expense and, in the case of storage, either at our premises or elsewhere; (e) to charge interest at a rate of 1.5% per month above the current base rate on the total amount due, to the extent it remains unpaid for more than four working days after the sale; (f) to retain that or any other lot sold to you until you pay the total amount due; (g) to reject or ignore bids from you or your agent at future auctions or to impose conditions before any such bids shall be accepted; (h) to apply any proceeds of sale of other lots due or in future becoming due to you towards the settlement of the total amount due and to exercise a lien (that is a right to retain possession of) any of your property in our possession for any purpose until the debt due is satisfied. (2) We shall, as agent for the seller and on their behalf pursue these rights and remedies only as far as is reasonable to make appropriate recovery in respect of breach of these Conditions
14. STANDARD VENDOR FEES AND CHARGES (Subject to VAT) (1) Commission: 15% of the first £3000 and 10% thereafter is charged on the selling price of each lot (subject to a minimum charge of £30). Loss and damage warranty: 1.5% on value of lots sold. Photography: max £40 mono per lot, max £250 colour. Internet Marketing Service: £10 per lot. (2) If a vendor wishes to withdraw a lot organized for sale, a withdrawal fee will apply; (a) If withdrawn over 28 working days prior to the sale, this will be charged at 10% of the mid estimate along with any ancilliary incurred (such as photography), all subject to VAT at the current rate. (b) If withdrawn within 28 working days of the sale, this will be charged at 20% of the mid estimate along with any ancilliary incurred (such as photography), all subject to VAT at the current rate. 15. DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITION (1) While we seek to describe lots accurately, it may be impractical for us to carry out exhaustive due diligence on each lot. Prospective buyers are given ample opportunities to view and inspect before any sale and they (and any independent experts on their behalf) must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of any description applied to a lot. Prospective buyers also bid on the understanding that, inevitably, representations or statements by us as to authorship, genuineness, origin, date, age, provenance, condition or estimated selling price involve matters of opinion. We undertake that any such opinion shall be honestly and reasonably
18 (1) Any right to compensation for losses liabilities and expenses incurred in respect of and as a result of any breach of these Conditions and any exclusions provided by them shall be available to the seller and/or the auctioneer as appropriate. (2). Such rights and exclusions shall extend to and be deemed to be for the benefit of employees and agents of the seller and/or the auctioneer who may themselves enforce them. 19. Any notice to any buyer, seller, bidder or viewer may be given by first class mail in which case it shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee 48 hours after posting. 20. Special terms may be used in catalogue descriptions of particular classes of items (Books, Jewellery, paintings, guns, firearms etc) in which case the descriptions must be interpreted in accordance with any glossary or guidance notes appearing in the catalogue. These notices and terms will also form part of our terms and conditions of sales. 21. Any indulgence extended to bidders buyers or sellers by us notwithstanding the strict terms of these Conditions or of the Terms of Consignment shall affect the position at the relevant time only and in respect of that particular concession only; in all other respects these Conditions shall be construed as having full force and effect. 22. Scottish law applies to the interpretation of these Conditions.
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Smaller items & Pictures Mailboxes Etc 44/46 Morningside Road Edinburgh EH10 4BF Tel: +44 (0)131 556 6226 Fax: +44 (0)131 652 3673 Email: edinburgh@mbescotland.com
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Packing and Shipping Please note that we do not pack or ship items. The following suggested carriers will be able to arrange packing and shipping; please contact them directly to receive a quote. You may wish to c ontact an alternative courier.
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Local Deliveries Local deliveries can be arranged by A&S Pert Removals. Telephone 07876 343520.
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Parking Multi-storey car parking is available at Greenside Place and in the St. James Centre; five minutes walk from the saleroom.
Furniture and larger items Constantine Constantine House North Caldeen Road Coatbridge North Lanarkshire ML5 4EF Tel: +44(0)1236 750055 Fax: +44(0)1236 750077 E-mail: enquiries@constantinemoving.com A Van Man Transport Unit 5, Benridge Park Holyrood Close, Creekmoor Poole, Dorset BH17 7BD Tel: +44 (0)1202 600 012 Fax: +44 (0)1202 600 206 Email: office@avmt.co.uk Fine Art Carriers Gallery Support Group 37 Cremer Street London E2 8HD Tel: +44 (0)20 7729 6692 Email: info@gallerysupportgroup.com
Arrangements for Sold Lots All bought items will be held free of charge at Broughton Place until the Friday following the sale. Thereafter lots will be removed to store in Edinburgh and a charge incurred. Administration fee: £20 + VAT Storage charges per lot per day are: Large Items £5 inc. insurance + VAT Small Items £2.50 inc. insurance + VAT Catering Refreshments will be available at the saleroom on view days and day of sale.
© Lyon & Turnbull Ltd. 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Lyon & Turnbull Ltd.
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33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh EH1 3RR Tel +44 (0)131 557 8844 Fax +44 (0)131 557 8668 email. info@lyonandturnbull.com www.lyonandturnbull.com
182 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4HG Tel +44 (0)141 333 1992 Fax +44 (0)141 332 8240
78 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ES Tel +44 (0)20 7930 9115 Fax +44 (0)20 7930 7274