GIBEON END PIECE WITH NATURAL HOLE - photo 1
GIBEON END PIECE WITH NATURAL HOLE - photo 2
GIBEON END PIECE WITH NATURAL HOLE - photo 3

GIBEON END PIECE WITH NATURAL HOLE

Lot 3
06.04.2022 14:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 21 420
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
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ID 737492
Lot 3 | GIBEON END PIECE WITH NATURAL HOLE
Estimate value
£ 10 000 – 15 000
The large end piece cut to reveal a natural heart-shaped hole. Graduated etch across the cut face. The reverse with a patina of charcoals and mango hues.

This is a select piece of a Gibeon iron meteorite. It originated from the core of an asteroid that existed billions of years ago between Mars and Jupiter. Only 2% of all meteorites are of the iron variety. Namibian tribesmen located the mass from which this partial slice originated with the aid of a metal detector. When cut and etched, Gibeon meteorites exhibit an octahedral latticework of its two principal alloys—kamacite and taenite. This exquisite natural design is known as a Widmanstätten pattern. As this pattern does not appear in terrestrial iron ores, its presence is diagnostic in the identification of iron meteorites. While there are different patterns among different meteorites (the result of chemical composition and cooling rate), all Gibeon meteorites exhibit the same crystalline habit.

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.
350 mm x 310 mm x 60 mm (133/4 x 121/4 x 21/3 in.)
10.8kg.
Medium:Iron
Category:Meteorite
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
23.03.2022 – 06.04.2022
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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