WOLD COTTAGE METEORITE OF 1795 — THE SKY IS FALLING - photo 1

WOLD COTTAGE METEORITE OF 1795 — THE SKY IS FALLING

Lot 9
23.02.2021 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 6 250
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 491219
Lot 9 | WOLD COTTAGE METEORITE OF 1795 — THE SKY IS FALLING
Estimate value
$ 2 000 – 2 500
The Wold Cottage meteorite played a crucial role in the scientific community’s acceptance that rocks could indeed fall out of the sky — a notion previously met with disbelief or considered heretical. On December 13, 1795, Wold Cottage crashed to Earth just yards from farmworker John Shipley. Edward Topham, the owner of the Wold Cottage estate, was in London at the time, but he hurried home after reading accounts in the press. Topham was a well-known bon vivant with a sterling reputation. Certain that the stone was of great import, Topham arranged to have Wold Cottage placed on exhibition in London, helping to sway public opinion to embrace Shipley’s extraordinary claim. The scientific community took note, especially after Wold Cottage proved similar to a rock reported to have fallen out of the sky eighteen months earlier in Siena, Italy. The fact that two stones from different localities had common characteristics convinced many scientists of their possible extraterrestrial origin. This rectangular-like partial slice exhibits a prominent vein of impact melt darting across the left margin of a creamy silicate matrix accented with metallic flakes scattered throughout. This specimen also features two modest patches of fusion crust on one edge — a sought-after bonus in a rare offering of this highly historic meteorite. Modern cutting.

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


46 x 34 x 2mm (1.75 x 1.33 x 0.1 in.) and 11.47g (0.02 lbs)
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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09.02.2021 – 23.02.2021
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