Lot 2366
HOBA IRON METEORITE--A CUT BLOCK OF TRIANGULAR, PRISMATIC FORM
7 December 2021, 10:00 PST
Los AngelesSold for US$59,062.50 inc. premium
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HOBA IRON METEORITE--A CUT BLOCK OF TRIANGULAR, PRISMATIC FORM
Ataxite iron, IVB group
Hoba, Namibia
Thought to have fallen approximately 80,000 years ago, the main mass of Hoba, at 60 tonnes, is considered to be the largest meteorite in the world. It was first discovered in 1920 at Grootfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. The name "Hoba" comes from Khoekhoegowab word meaning "gift".
Experts assume that that the Earth's atmosphere slowed the object in such a way that it impacted the surface at terminal velocity, thereby remaining intact and causing little excavation of the surrounding earth and leaving no preserved crater. It was discovered by chance in 1920, when the owner of the farm on which it rested, Jacobus Hermanus Brits, encountered the object while ploughing one of his fields with an ox. When the obstruction was excavated, it was identified as a meteorite and described by Mr. Brits, whose report was published in 1920 and can be viewed at the Grootfontein Museum in Namibia.
The present specimen, was obtained in 1968 by the father of the present owner when he visited the main mass of Hoba together with some friends. Using a hand saw, they cut a large block of the meteorite from the main mass "as a souvenir", an activity which took them between three and four hours. The present offering comes directly from the son of the meteorite hunter and has been housed for over 50 years in Ensisheim, Germany (now France) since 1971.
This large specimen has great presence and is capable of standing on its own as a desirable, three-dimensional sculpture. There are two cut faces, one which has a higher polish than the other, which is rough hewn: one cut is older and the other is more recent. Three sides still retain natural surfaces with regmaglypts. This is a unique and notable meteorite offering. Weighing approximately 2851.2 grams and measuring (15.5 x 9.0 x 5.7 cm)
Hoba, Namibia
Thought to have fallen approximately 80,000 years ago, the main mass of Hoba, at 60 tonnes, is considered to be the largest meteorite in the world. It was first discovered in 1920 at Grootfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. The name "Hoba" comes from Khoekhoegowab word meaning "gift".
Experts assume that that the Earth's atmosphere slowed the object in such a way that it impacted the surface at terminal velocity, thereby remaining intact and causing little excavation of the surrounding earth and leaving no preserved crater. It was discovered by chance in 1920, when the owner of the farm on which it rested, Jacobus Hermanus Brits, encountered the object while ploughing one of his fields with an ox. When the obstruction was excavated, it was identified as a meteorite and described by Mr. Brits, whose report was published in 1920 and can be viewed at the Grootfontein Museum in Namibia.
The present specimen, was obtained in 1968 by the father of the present owner when he visited the main mass of Hoba together with some friends. Using a hand saw, they cut a large block of the meteorite from the main mass "as a souvenir", an activity which took them between three and four hours. The present offering comes directly from the son of the meteorite hunter and has been housed for over 50 years in Ensisheim, Germany (now France) since 1971.
This large specimen has great presence and is capable of standing on its own as a desirable, three-dimensional sculpture. There are two cut faces, one which has a higher polish than the other, which is rough hewn: one cut is older and the other is more recent. Three sides still retain natural surfaces with regmaglypts. This is a unique and notable meteorite offering. Weighing approximately 2851.2 grams and measuring (15.5 x 9.0 x 5.7 cm)
Footnotes
Accompanied by a redacted, photocopied letter of authenticity by Dr. Ludovic Ferrière, Curator of the Meteorite Collection, Natural History History Museum, Vienna, Austria dated March 28, 2019.