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LOT 2748
Natural History - Campo Del Cielo Meteorite
FELL 6000-5000 YEARS B.P.
1 in. (25.3 grams, 25 mm).
A nickel-iron meteorite (IAB). [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.
FootnotesA 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 the 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.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Natural History - Hadrosaur Dinosaur Egg
Cretaceous Period, 100 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
A large Charonosaurus sp. hadrosaur egg retaining evidence of the original leathery surface. 3.4 kg, 16 cm
Acquired 1983-1990. Private collection, Hove, UK.
Hadrosaurs were large dinosaurs, growing up to 10 metres in length, belonging to the ‘Duck-Billed’ group of dinosaurs. They are considered the ‘herd animal’ of the Cretaceous, having been found buried together in their thousands. Dinosaur egg fossils are known from approximately two-hundred sites around the word, particularly in Asia. This nest comes from the Xixia Formation, Henan region of China, which produces some of the best preserved eggs in the world. These eggs can yield entire embryos within them, making them an essential tool for understanding the biology of these creatures. -
Natural History - Historic Large Cut and Polished Agate Mineral Specimen Pair
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
Cut in two halves with the cut faces polished to emphasise the brown and grey banding, collection number 332. 2.27 kg total, 11.8-12 cm
Acquired on the UK mineral and fossil market, since 1970. From the historic mineral collection of Richard Valentine Cain, London, UK, thence by descent. Accompanied by an original historic index file card. -
Natural History - Historic 'India' Prehnite Mineral Specimen
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Displaying natural crystal formation, very rare in this form, collection number 372, with an old James Walker label and invoice dated 1979. 167 grams, 13.6 cm
Acquired on the UK mineral and fossil market, since 1970. From the historic mineral collection of Richard Valentine Cain, London, UK, thence by descent. Accompanied by an original historic index file card.
