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LOT 2306
Diplomystus Fossil Fish
CRETACEOUS PERIOD, CIRCA 70 MILLION YEARS B.P.
4 in. (226 grams, 10.3 cm).
Rectangular matrix with a single Diplomystus birdi specimen. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Lebanon.
From a Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
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AUCTIONS:
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Two Large Cut and Polished Slabs of Rare Vintage Blue John Fluorite
Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Two irregular slabs showing typical purple, blue and white banding. 935 grams total, 25.1-25.6 cm
From the UK. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's), Harwich, UK. -
Morton Gneiss Plate Sections
Circa 3.5 billion years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising three rectangular sections of grey pink and black medium to coarse-grained biotite-quartz-plagioclase gneiss with polished upper face, each with wooden backing and one cracked. approx. 84 kg total, 85 x 58 cm each
Canadian Shield, Minnesota River Valley, Southwestern Minnesota, USA. with Phillips, New York, 3 June 1995, no.81. Private collection, Florida, acquired at the above sale. with Sotheby’s, New York, 28 April 2021, no.27 (est. $2,500–3,500).
The world’s oldest known rocks come from the Canadian Shield area of North America. Among the most ancient is the present material, Morton Gneiss at approximately 3.5 billion years old believed to be part of Earth’s first planetary crust. The swirls and layers are a result of metamorphism that incurred when the original volcanic rock was buried to tremendous depths. -
Sericho Meteorite Cross-Section
Circa 4.5 billion years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
A spectacular polished slice displaying the characteristic crystalline structure of pallasites, with translucent amber-coloured olivine crystals suspended in a shimmering metallic iron-nickel matrix; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 1.3 kg, 48.5 cm
Discovered in Isiolo County, Eastern Kenya, 2016. Private collection, USA.
Comprising 0.2% of all meteorites, pallasites are the rarest and most aesthetic examples and are highly sought after by collectors and museums. This cross-section reveals their mesmerising internal structure, consisting of translucent amber-coloured olivine crystals suspended in a shimmering iron-nickel matrix which has been polished to a mirror finish. Of all known pallasites, Sericho is especially renowned for its high concentration of olivine, often displaying hues of orange, yellow and green when spotlit or in direct sunlight. Cross-sections of this scale and integrity are particularly rare. While prized for their beauty, Sericho meteorites are also notoriously prone to oxidation if not treated correctly. This piece has been carefully prepared, resulting in a stable specimen that retains both its visual clarity and structural integrity.