NEW YORK — Auctionata will conduct two auctions of meteorites and fossils and natural history on April 19. History and natural beauty are united in the exciting sale of meteorites, highlights of which include a piece of Mars, a complete Allende meteorite, and a Sikhote-Alin meteorite from the renowned Russian meteor shower. The fossils and natural history sale will offer prehistoric and geological wonders, from a baby mosasaur skeleton—the sea monster of recent news—a delicate dragonfly fossil and a T-rex skull cast to an opalescent ammonite gemstone.
LiveAuctioneers.com will provide absentee and Internet live bidding.
Geoff Notkin of the Science Channel’s Meteorite Men will join the auctioneer on set, auctioning off items from his own personal collection and providing insight into the fascinating pieces of physical history.
Meteorites Sale
The auction will stream live online on Sunday, April 19 at 10 a.m. EDT.
Highlights include:
Lot 12: Chelyabinsk meteorite, Russia. Starting Price: $1,000
Chelyabinsk was the world’s most documented meteorite fall. Many of the recovered individuals were small, only two to five grams, and easily mistaken for black gravel. Bigger pieces, such as the one offered here, are considerably less common and will only increase in rarity.
Lot 46: Tissint Martian meteorite, Morocco. Starting Price: $7,500
Among the rarest substances, only approximately 100 kilograms of Mars substances are known to exist on Earth. This example is a small specimen that was fractured as a result of its hard landing.
Lot 63: Sikhote-Alin meteorite, Russia. Starting Price: $15,000
Wrapped in a pewter-hued patina with charcoal accents, this is a captivating example of the largest known meteorite shower of modern times. No new meteorites from this—the world’s largest crater field—are being found today, and streamlined natural space sculptures such as this superb example are highly sought after and rarely offered.
Fossils & Natural History
The auction will stream live online on Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. EDT.
The most anticipated highlights include:
Lot 17: tourmaline on quartz. Starting Price: $9,000
The name “tourmaline” comes from the Sinhalese word “turmali” or “thoramalli,” which relates to different gemstones found in Sri Lanka. This semiprecious stone is bicolored with light green and pink sections and is enveloped in white Clevelandite crystals and faceted quartz and is one mineral among many offered in the sale.
Lot 44: petrified wood table. Starting Price: $11,000 Buried deep beneath volcanic ash, this specimen slowly petrified into an incredible mineral over millions of years. The rich color of the wood table highlights the deep natural colors of the ancient fossil, creating a statement piece that would fit with any décor.
Lot 91: baby mosasaur skeleton, Morocco, Late Cretaceous. Starting Price: $40,000
The fossil presented here originated from the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous period in the Oulad Abdoun Basin in Morocco. This specimen is 60 percent complete with a few built up areas to complete the skeleton and is situated on a tall stand, making the mosasaur a 3D display piece.
Lot 99: T-rex tooth, Wyoming, Cretaceous. Starting Price: $1,500
This rare tooth, of chocolate brown to espresso color, is from the premaxillary section of the frontal jaw and exhibits a D-shaped cross section while incisiform with a serrated edge. This type of tooth was usually only numbered eight out of the average total of 60 teeth in the jaw, increasing its rarity.
All the lots will be available to view in person at the meteorites, fossils and natural history auction preview from April 17-18. Geoff Notkin will host a book signing and free meteorite giveaway while guests take in the specimens in this museum-quality showing. For more information, contact eventsny@auctionata.com.
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