Iron, ataxite (ungrouped)Ryazan district, Russia (54° 44' N, 41° 25' E)

Details

DRONINO METEORITE — TABLETOP SCULPTURE
Iron, ataxite (ungrouped)
Ryazan district, Russia (54° 44' N, 41° 25' E)
The wavy, textured surface seemingly embossed in a platinum-hued patina is derived from the centuries-long interaction of the specimen’s particular chemical composition with that of the ground. Featuring a fascinating surface texture, this is a highly decorative and most atypical meteorite.
152 x 88 x 34mm (6 x 3½ x 1 1/3in.)
1.31kg (2.9lbs)

Literature

Grokhovsky, V. et all. (2005), “Structural Studies of Iron Meteorite Dronino.” 36th Annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Lot Essay

First discovered by a mushroom hunter in 2000, specimens of the Dronino meteorite shower belong to the rare “ungrouped” population of iron meteorites. While 89% of iron meteorites are members of established chemical groups, the other 11% are chemically unrelated to other specimens. Dronino is one of these unusual, ungrouped irons. It was discovered 20 kilometers from an ancient town founded in 1152. As nothing was ever written about what would have been, without a doubt, an extremely memorable event of a fireball accompanied by smoke trails and sonic booms, it’s likely that the Dronino‚s arrival occurred when the area was unpopulated. Given the high degree of terrestrial weathering (which caused the unusual morphologies of Dronino specimens), a descent to Earth more than a millennium ago can be confidently inferred.

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