Displaying a later carved stylised face with exaggerated facial detailing. 37 grams, 92 mm

From Island of Java, indonesia.
Acquired 1950s-1960s.
From an old Bristol, UK, paleontological collection.

A trio of differently sized nickel iron (IAB) meteorites with a composition of 92.9% iron, 6.7% nickel. 4.86 grams, 13-16 mm

Discovered 1576 A.D., Chaco Province, Argentina.
Ex German dealer 2018.
UK private collection.

See Graham, Bevan and Hutchison ed., Catalogue of Meteorites, Natural History Museum, 1985, p.88, for details of this fall.

A crater field of roughly 26 craters was found in the vicinity of this crater, which is estimated to date to 4-5 thousand years BP. The age of the meteorite itself is thought to be c.4.5 billion years, formed as part of the development of this solar system. The largest two fragments, the 30.8 ton Gancedo and 28.8 ton El Chaco, are among the heaviest meteorite masses ever recovered on Earth. In 1576, the governor of a province in Northern Argentina commissioned the military to search for a large mass of iron, which it was believed local people claimed had fallen from the sky and which they used for their weapon production. The expedition discovered a large mass of metal which was assumed to be an iron mine and brought back a few samples, which were described as being of unusual purity. Following the legends, in 1774 Don Bartolomé Francisco de Maguna rediscovered the iron mass. He himself did not believe that the stone had fallen from the sky and assumed that it had formed by a volcanic eruption. However, he sent the samples to the Royal Society of London. In 1990 it became protected by law.

From an extinct genus of world's largest shark, displaying some good enamel. 221 grams, 11.2 cm

From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

Comprising a slightly curving specimen with rough surfaces. 415 grams, 14.5 cm

From Emery County, Utah, U.S.A.
Acquired 1980s.
From an old Bristol, UK, collection.

The name 'Allosaurus' means 'different lizard' alluding to its unique concave vertebrae.

With one polished end to reveal the inner detail of the tropical hardwood, displaying some natural bark. 514 grams, 17 cm

From the Genteng Formation, Indonesia.
From an old Oxfordshire, UK, fossil and mineral collection.

Comprising seven complete and two partial Knightia alta fossil fish in a rectangular matrix. 373 grams, 15.3 x 9.8 cmFine condition.

Wyoming, Green River Formation, U.S.A.
Acquired during the 1980s.
From the Pradi Collection, Boston, U.S.A.

Seasonally, some 56 million years ago, in the Green River Region of Wyoming, torrential rains fell on the mountains. The rain flowed down the mountain sides, forming wide shallow lakes in the valley below. During the dry season, these lakes evaporated (similar to certain parts of Africa today). Millions of fish died in this short period of time. This climatic cycle happened over a 20-thousand-year period. Layer upon layer of mud was deposited over these years, entombing huge numbers of fish. At a much later date volcanic activity uplifted this area to expose their fossils.

Displaying remains of enamel and serrations, from the Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (African T-rex). 19.9 grams, 49 mm

From the Tegana formation of the Sahara Desert, Morocco, North Africa.
Acquired during the 1980s.
From an old Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

The Carcharodontosaurus saharicus was one of the largest predators of all time (larger than its distant North American T-Rex cousin) and is related to Allosaurus and the South American Giganotosaurus.

Comprising three Ophiuroidea sp. specimens on matrices. 330 grams total, 9.1-11.4 cm

From El Kaid Errami, Tafilalt, Morocco, North Africa.
From an old German collection.

Displaying good skeletal detail with some visible teeth, on a rectangular matrix. 482 grams, 16.5 cm

From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

Comprising six pieces containing insects together with other inclusions. 4.56 grams total, 13-21 mm

Collected between 1930 and 1960.
From the collection of the palaeontologist R Gledhill.

Comprising three Morocops (Barrandeops) sp. on a matrix. 275 grams total, 58-61 mm

From the Atlas Mountains, Hamar Laghdad Formation, Prgain, Alnif, Morocco, North Africa.
From an old Oxford, UK, paleontological collection.

Comprising a Petraster sp. on a rounded matrix and four Ophiuroidea sp. specimens on an irregular matrix. 1.07 kg total, 12-12.8 cm

From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.