Fossil Lobster on Matrix

Large Hammatoceras insigne specimen showing the characteristic discoidal form with strong ribbing. 750 grams, 16.1 cm



From Toarcian Caluados, France. From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent.

A magnificent polished cross-section from the Seymchan pallasite meteorite, revealing the honeycomb-like structure characteristic of pallasites, with translucent olivine crystals embedded within iron-nickel crystals; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 356 grams, 23.2 cm



Discovered in 1967, recovered from the bed of the river Hekandue in the Magadan District, Russia (62° 54’ N, 152° 26’ E).

The main mass of 272.3 kilograms was found during a survey in June 1967 by geologist F. A. Mednikov. The mass was a triangular-shaped thumb-printed meteorite lying among the stones of the brook bed. A second specimen of 51 kilograms was found with a mine detector at a distance of 20 meters from the first in October 1967 by I. H. Markov. During a new expedition in 2004, Dmitri Kachalin recovered about 50 kilograms of new material. Remarkably, about 20% of the new specimens were found to contain olivine crystals, and so revealed the silicate nature of the meteorite. The pallasitic structure was not previously discovered during studies on small metal-only sections of the original mass. The distortion of the Widmanstatten patterns is interpreted as shearing of the superheated meteorite as it broke up in the Earth's atmosphere.

Comprising mainly irregular geode sections with prismatic amethyst crystals. 2.19 kg total, 21-66 mm



From Brazil. Ex Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's), Harwich, UK.