H5 chondrite
Ostroleka, Poland (52° 46'N, 21° 16'E)
Accompanied with book from Pultusk Meteorite Museum
Dimensions (height x length x depth): 2 ¼ x 2 5/8 x 1 1/6 in. (5.71 x 6.66 x 2.94 cm)
Total weight: 0.05 lbs. (0.02 kg)
Provenance: Geoffrey Notkin / Aerolite Meteorites Inc.

Pultusk, Poland was the site of the final season three episode of Meteorite Men. Hosts Geoff Notkin and Steve Arnold investigated the fall zone of the January 30, 1868 meteorite shower, which was one of the largest in recorded history. By special arrangement with professional colleagues in Poland, Notkin acquired an outstanding and recently-found Pultusk stone which, when prepared in the lab, produced this exceptional slice. It displays abundant nickel-iron flakes, superb brecciation, and remarkable shock veins (likely formed by an ancient collision in space rather than by impact with the Earth).

When Pultusk fell in the winter of 1868 over snow-covered fields in Poland, the black rocks were easy to see and almost all known specimens were picked up shortly after the event. Most of those went to old museum collections, and Pultusk is almost never available on the commercial market. It is a must for the collector of historic meteorites and witnessed falls. While filming at the Muzeum Regionalnego w Pultusku, Geoff acquired this lovely book “Meteoryt Pultusk” written by Najwiekszy Deszcz and published by the museum. This highly collectible publication is 62 pages, 8 inches by 8 inches, full color throughout, and includes nine chapters (in Polish), historic prints and illustrations, a vintage Pultusk strewnfield map, and numerous full color photographs. This lot consists of both the meteorite slice and the book. The slice measures 2 ¼ x 2 5/8 x 1 1/6 in. (height x width x depth) and weighs 0.05 pounds.