AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL CRYSTAL BALL — TRANSITIONAL SEYMCHAN METEORITE SPHERE
25.05.2021 13:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Verkauft
150000GBP £ 150 000
| Auctioneer | CHRISTIE'S |
|---|---|
| Veranstaltungsort | Vereinigtes Königreich, London |
| Aufgeld | see on Website% |
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ID 543551
Los 8 | AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL CRYSTAL BALL — TRANSITIONAL SEYMCHAN METEORITE SPHERE
Schätzwert
£ 50 000 – 80 000
The most beautiful extraterrestrial substances known are pallasites. They formed at the boundary of the stony mantle and molten core of an asteroid. Upon shattering following an impact with another asteroid, this “borderline” material became liberated, and a bit has landed on Earth. As one would then expect, pallasites are extremely rare and, indeed, they represent less than 0.2% of all known meteorites. The first Seymchan meteorites were found near a streambed in the Magadan district of Siberia — the location of Stalin’s infamous gulags. Most Seymchan meteorites are non-descript, prosaic masses until they are cut to reveal their splendor.
Given the amount of material lost during the grinding and polishing processes, to make a sphere of this size requires a mass nearly three times that of the sphere. A sphere provides a view of aspects of structure impossible to see in a flat surface, and now offered is a wondrous three-dimensional presentation of a pallasite — a specimen that can rightfully be considered an otherworldly crystal ball.
Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.
3in. (7.7cm.) in diameter
6in. (15.5cm.) high on stand
1.28kg.
| Adresse der Versteigerung |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London Vereinigtes Königreich | |
|---|---|---|
| Vorschau |
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| Telefon | +44 (0)20 7839 9060 | |
| Aufgeld | see on Website | |
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