FUKANG — CUT AND POLISHED END PIECE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXTRATERRESTRIAL SUBSTANCE KNOWN - photo 1
FUKANG — CUT AND POLISHED END PIECE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXTRATERRESTRIAL SUBSTANCE KNOWN - photo 2

FUKANG — CUT AND POLISHED END PIECE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXTRATERRESTRIAL SUBSTANCE KNOWN

Lot 15
23.02.2022 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 60 480
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 716400
Lot 15 | FUKANG — CUT AND POLISHED END PIECE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXTRATERRESTRIAL SUBSTANCE KNOWN
Estimate value
$ 50 000 – 80 000
Pallasites are not only rare, representing about 0.2% of all known meteorites, they are also widely considered the most dazzling otherworldly substance — and samples of Fukang are among the most coveted. Recovered in China’s Gobi Desert, Fukang contains some of the largest and most translucent crystals of any pallasite. This is a portion of the mantle-core boundary of an asteroid that broke apart following a catastrophic collision with another asteroid. Crystals of olivine and peridot (gem-quality olivine) from the mantle are suspended in an iron-nickel matrix derived from the asteroid’s molten core.

The term pallasite is in honor of the German scientist, Peter Pallas, who while traveling through Siberia, examined the first pallasitic mass in the early 1770s. This is an honor Pallas is fortunate to have received, for he was dubious that the unusual specimen he examined came from outer space — but he lived at a time when most scientists did not believe rocks could fall out of the sky.

Enhancing Fukang’s allure, this specimen is cut and polished to a mirror finish on three faces which provides a three-dimensional perspective of a choice sample of the most beautiful extraterrestrial substance known. Modern cutting and polishing.

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.

127 x 112 x 74mm (5 x 4.5 x 3 in.) and 1.870 kg (4 lbs)
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
09.02.2022 – 23.02.2022
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Related terms

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.
×
Save this search query and get timely email alerts! It is simple and very effective.
антонио дель кастильо (1616 - 1668)
Create a Search Subscription