END PIECE OF DHOFAR 2066 — AN UNGROUPED CARBONACEOUS METEORITE - photo 1

END PIECE OF DHOFAR 2066 — AN UNGROUPED CARBONACEOUS METEORITE

Lot 46
25.08.2020 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 2 125
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 389990
Lot 46 | END PIECE OF DHOFAR 2066 — AN UNGROUPED CARBONACEOUS METEORITE
Estimate value
$ 1 000 – 1 500
Lot Description:
While meteorites are alien to Earth, this sample is an alien among the aliens. This is an end piece is one of the more mysterious meteorites known to exist. Well-defined chondrules are suspended in a fine-grained iron-rich matrix on the cut surface. The rounded exterior is a graphite-hued stippled texture. For the more sophisticated collector, this is an exemplary specimen of an unusual meteorite. Modern cutting.
31 x 29 x 3mm (1.25 x 1 x 0.1 in.)
5.72g

Bombardments of carbonaceous meteorites have regularly introduced the precursors of life to Earth. Scores of amino acids — the building blocks of proteins — and tens of thousands of distinct organic compounds have been discovered in just one such carbonaceous meteorite, Murchison (see lot 19).

The ungrouped designation for the carbonaceous meteorite offered here is the result of its unusual oxygen isotopes and its unique mineralogy which includes an iron-rich matrix. Of the 2500 carbonaceous meteorites contained in the scientific literature — which represents about 3.5% of all documented meteorites — only 40 are ungrouped, which represents 0.05% of all documented meteorites. The total mass of DHO 2066 is just 13 grams. For meteorite cognoscenti, this is a select specimen of an exotic meteorite.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
12.08.2020 – 25.08.2020
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.