A MASSIVE DRONINO METEORITE, Iron, ataxite (ungrouped) Ryazan district, Russia (54°44' N, 41°25' E)

This imposing meteorite features furrowed textures, and a complex topology of deep grooves and crevices terminating in two peaks evoking cresting waves. This rich texture, as well as the meteorite’s distinctive morphology, are the result of terrestrialization (exposure to Earth’s elements) and the atypical nickel-rich composition of the meteorite. A pewter to platinum patina envelops the meteorite’s surface. The meteorite stands on a base of polished black stone.
16¹⁄₂ x 14 x 8in. (42 x 35.5 x 20.5cm.)
73.5kg

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Lot Essay

Named after the small Russian town situated close to its discovery site, Dronino meteorites are iron-rich meteorites boasting an exotic chemical composition. Whereas 89% of iron meteorites can be categorized within an established chemical group, the present specimens are not related to any of these groups. This curious material makeup suggests that they originated from a much larger parent asteroid that remains unknown.
The eponymous meteorites fell to earth approximately 20 kilometers from Dronino, yet there is no written account of what must have been an extraordinary and memorable occurrence – a fireball leaving sonic booms and smoke trails in its wake. The absence of recorded evidence indicates that the meteorites struck sometime before the nearby town’s foundation in the mid-12th century A.D. Given the extent of terrestrial sculpting to such specimens, a descent to Earth more than a millennium ago can be confidently fixed. The arresting visual appearance and furrowed texture are the result of sulfide inclusions within the meteorites.
The first Dronino meteorite was discovered in the summer of 2000 by Oleg Gus’kov, a local mushroom collector. After the specimen was declared meteoritic in 2003, collectors and scientific expeditions found a further 600 fragments weighing 3 tonnes in total. With no two examples exactly the same, Dronino meteorites are highly sought after for their diverse and highly decorative forms.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
‘The Meteoritical Bulletin, No.88, 2004 July’, Meteocritics & Planetary Science, Vol.39, No.8, Supplement (2004), p.A219.

Post Lot Text

This lot has been imported from outside the EU for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on the invoice. Please see the Conditions of Sale for further information.