Celtic Iron Age La Tène Torc, 350 BC

This polished extraterrestrial iron sphere is a fascinating display piece, dating back to the formation of the Solar System and from the core of a large asteroid. Carved from the fa...

Oriented Chondrite Meteorite Circa 4.56 Billion y/o Chondrite 24 x 20 cm, 28 cm tall on base 7.1 kg A sculptural and beautifully weathered chondrite meteorite; upon entering the atmosphere, this extraterrestrial stone would have heated the surrounding air to a temperature of over 1700 C, higher than that of the hottest lava on the planet, and enough to melt away its outer layers, leaving its surface rippled with regmaglypts, thumb-shaped impressions formed as superheated rock streaked off of the main body as it careened toward the earth. The last layer of the rock to melt would have re-solidified as the meteorite made impact, forming a charcoal coloured fusion crust, which has taken on a deep ochre-tinted patina. Chondrite meteorites such as this example were formed at the very beginning of our solar system, by the accretion of various types of dust and small grains, adrift in the vacuum of space and, as such, provide important clues about the birth of our own planet. This piece is an especially rare specimen, known as an oriented meteorite...

Oriented Stone Meteorite Chondrite 5.00 kg Detached from its parent body by a mighty impact, this large, oriented Meteorite travelled over a hu...

This striking fossilised wood cross-section, dating to the Miocene epoch (23-5 million years ago) and featuring paint-like streaks of greens, blues and browns, is a beautiful natural history specimen and impactful display piece. This is a magnificent example of the results of permineralisation, a process through which buried wood tissue, permeated by minerals transported in water, can transform into vibrant fossils. This particular example has fossilised over a copper deposit, resulting in the bright inclusions of copper minerals that manifest as impressive streaks of blue, green and red. This distinctive colouration is unique to Colla wood...