Natural History - Fossil Mamite Ammonite

Comprising: Athleta luctator shell from Barton Beds, Hampshire, UK, ex professor Gordon Walkden collection, UK; Cretaceous Micraster species sea urchin from St. Margaret's Bay, near Dover, Kent, UK; Silurian fossil seabed section with brachiopods, crinoid stems, and remains of other sea creatures from Wenlock limestone, Dudley, East Midlands, and from an old British collection. 282 grams total, 5.5-10.8 cm



From Dudley, West Midlands, UK. From a Leicestershire, UK, collection. Accompanied by a copy of a previous illustrated catalogue page for the shell.

Displaying emerald-green and blue green crystals to both faces, collection number 458; with an old Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd label. 423 grams, 11.4 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.

A cut slice of scarce achondrite from the diogenite group recorded as: Northwest Africa 5480; displayed in a Swiss membrane box. 11.7 grams, 48 mm (58 grams total, 99 x 75 including case)



From the Sahara, N.W. Africa. Ex Hupe collection, U.S.A. From a Leicestershire, UK, collection.

The total known mass of the meteorite found in Mali was 4.91 kg. Mineralogically, the diogenites are primarily composed of magnesium-rich orthopyroxene, with minor amounts of plagioclase and olivine. The pyroxenes are usually coarse-grained, suggesting a cumulate origin for the diogenites in magma chambers within the deeper regions of Vesta's crust. The achondrites of this group are named after a 5th century B.C. Greek philosopher Diogenes of Apollonia, who was the first to suggest that meteorites originate from outer space.