Name: A Sculptural Dronino Meteorite
Brand: DISCOVERED IN THE RYAZAN DISTRICT, RUSSIA, 2000
Price: 5000.00 USD
Availability: SoldOut

A Sculptural Dronino Meteorite
Discovered in the Ryazan District, Russia, 2000
This is a highly aesthetic specimen of the ungrouped iron, Dronino. Embossed with the stippled texture that is characteristic of such meteorites, a jagged crack splits and courses through this aesthetically shaped mass accented by a naturally formed hole. The evocative surface texture of this specimen is a result of Dronino’s chemical composition, as well as the chemistry of the ground onto which it fell and the amount of water to which it was exposed for more than 1000 years. Hewn by forces both on and off Earth, and accompanied by a custom stand, this is a natural sculpture from outer space.
5¼ x 3¼ x ¾in. (13.2 x 8.5 x 2cm.)
7in. (18cm.) high on stand
505.6g

Conditions of Sale
FAQs
This lot is offered by Christie's Inc

Brought to you by

Lot Essay

Dronino consists of iron-meteorite fragments first found in the Ryazan district of Russia in 2000. The region has been inhabited for about a millennium and there are no reports of a large meteorite impact, indicating the mass must have fallen more than a thousand years ago. The old inferred terrestrial age is consistent with the high degree of weathering evident in typical specimens. Although 89% of iron meteorites are members of distinct chemical groups and hail from about a dozen different asteroids, the other 11% of recovered iron meteorites are chemically unrelated to other specimens and come from separate, otherwise unsampled, asteroids. They are known as “ungrouped” irons. Dronino is one of these unusual, ungrouped irons.

Click here to learn more about the science and history of meteorites.