Natural History - Cut Amethyst Crystal Geode Segment

An iron Campo Del Cielo (IAB) meteorite. 30 grams, 33 mm



From Chaco Province, Argentina, found 1576. From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

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 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.

A rare complete example of Paratriakis curtirostris within micritic matrix, displaying the spine, fins and tail with visible fin supports; the head with a number of teeth in situ; mounted in a custom-made wooden frame with a textured insert. 40.1 kg total, shark: 81 cm (68 x 127.5 cm)



Found Haqel, Lebanon. Ex Fine Fossils, UK. From the private collection of Mr J.G., a company executive. Studied by the University of Manchester, UK. Accompanied by an original signed handwritten note from Sir David Attenborough, 7 November 2022, which reads 'Dear J[ ] G[ ], You are indeed lucky to have such a spectacular fossil. Best wishes, David Attenborough'. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Fine Fossils with certificate no.COLL011. Accompanied by a detailed geological report by Paul Goodrich. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12091-214455.

Paratriakis curtirostris was a resident in the shallows of the Tethys Ocean, which separated Africa, Europe, Indo-Australia and Asia. The genus is now extinct, but has a relative in the modern-day dogfish Triakis.

Comprising three polished, dome-shaped buttons, each with a central Goniatite sp. specimen; supplied with a display stand. 65 grams total, 29-31 mm



From the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, North Africa. From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.