Discover the art of science. Christie’s Science and Natural History online-only auction takes you on a journey backwards in time, from the present day to the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago, celebrating the milestones along the way, from fine scientific instruments made to study the cosmos through to sculptural meteorites from beyond our planet.

The sale is led by a rare 4-rotor Enigma cipher machine and a pair of Jurassic Ichthyosaurs mounted in the pose of an underwater battle, a group of visually arresting sandstone formations termed gogottes (objects particularly prized by Louis XIV), and a private collection of vintage NASA photographs. Other highlights range from the fossilized skin of a dinosaur through to extinct animals and mineral specimens from over 2 billion years ago. The selection for sale reflects a range of highly sculptural and decorative objects, from naturally-occurring geological formations to fine mineral specimens and dynamically shaped meteorites, which can fit comfortably in any collection.