TWO STONE METEORITE SPHERES, Chondrites, L3-6 The Sahara Desert

Lot Description:
The milk-chocolate colored matrix of NWA 869 is accented with slate-grey and ochre accents and a multitude of metallic flecks throughout — all of which are signature characteristics of NWA 869. In the second sphere, metal flecks of iron-nickel are suspended throughout its ebony matrix. As a result of its homogeneity, its petrographic type appears to be “6”. Modern fashioning.
41mm (1.25 in.) and 40mm (1.25 in.) diameters
131g (0.25 lb) and 122.3g (0.25 lb)

Two spheres fashioned from meteorites. Fashioned from prosaically shaped meteorites found in the expansive NWA 869 strewn field — a massive area from which many meteorites were recovered, including meteorites which are not NWA 869. The NWA 869 shower is among the largest documented meteorite showers of all time. The meteorite is a breccia, a rock composed of many small inclusions that have experienced different degrees of metamorphic heating within its parent asteroid. Some material (type-3 chondrite fragments) largely escaped heating and still retain their primitive textures and compositions; other materials have been extensively heated and recrystallized. The classification of the meteorite from which the accompanying ebony sphere was hewn is unknown; it was aggregated with NWA 869 meteorites prior to sphere-making, but it is most certainly a different meteorite — and a marvelous meteorite at that.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

Please note this lot is the property of a private individual.