While not as sizable an event as that which occurred in Henbury, Australia (see lot 15), the Morasko meteorite event is significant nonetheless. Seven meteorite craters have been identified outside the town of Morasko, Poland — five of which are now large ponds — in an area designated the Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve. The Morasko meteorite shower occurred approximately 5,000 years ago. The first meteorites in the area were discovered by German soldiers constructing a military fortification in 1914 at the beginning of World War I. Since then, many other masses, including this example, were recovered. Morasko meteorites are not known for their aesthetic character, but this is an exception. It’s a rare silicated iron and, if cut, a coarse octahedral crystalline pattern exceedingly similar to the following lot would be featured. This surprisingly dense, fist-sized specimen has an animated surface draped in a glossy black patina with ochre accents and regmaglypts (the dimpling which results from burning through Earth’s atmosphere) and this meteorite contains what was a previously unknown phosphate mineral aptly named moraskoite.

It is uncommon to be able to acquire meteorites associated with impact craters. Of the 41 documented European impact craters, only Morasko has yielded meteorites as the other events occurred, on average, hundreds of millions of years ago. Accompanied by a custom armature, now offered is a choice example.

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

147 x 145 x 83mm (5.75 x 5.75 x 3.25 in.) and 3990.9 grams (8.75 lbs)