[meteorite-list] Private & AD Top Premium Specimens of the New Non-Ziz Desert Iron

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:00:08 +0200
Message-ID: <01b401c91472$e6e2a490$177f2a59_at_name86d88d87e2>

Dear Collectors,

after a short summer break finally again a posting from Chladni's Heirs.

Let me start with the better news.

Of course we couldn't resist and organized some specimens of the new desert
irons, everyone talks now about and which were initially mistaken to be new
finds of the Ziz irons,
and we tried to get in especially beautiful examples, a task which - we
think you'll agree, after you'll have seen the pictures - accomplished.

But let me first recapitulate the discussion, why in our opinion it is
unlikely that these irons could be paired with Ziz:

Externally they differ in the shape of the regmaglypts.
Ziz has a Sikhote-like appearance, displays very detailed and deeply carved
regmaglypts; small individuals do look like small Sikhotes, they only aren't
that fresh -
while the new irons show more shallow regmaglypts, partially also smoothed
parts, here and there circular pits and places, where the silicates emerge.
Additionally the new irons have a slightly less fresh appearance than Ziz,
especially those parts which were exposed to weathering are more oxidized
than you would found it with any Ziz.

Here we have such an example - our first specimen, not difficult to guess,
why we name it "The Coral" -
though not fully an typical example for the new locales, because it exhibits
especially well developed regmaglypts and a dynamical sculpture -
but on the other hand one can observe especially well, how strongly one
part, the "stalk" of the coral, was exposed to weathering.
A very impressive effect (therefore we recommend no further cleaning).

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1678g-4.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1678g-3.jpg
 
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1678g-1.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1678g-2.jpg

Weight is 1678g, dimensions 110 x 90 x 75 mm.


And here we have another interesting example,
cause here one can observe two different types of regmaglypts - first the
detailed and weazen ones, so typical for the new irons,

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1494g-2.jpg

but one side has shallow ones on a large-scale - rather reminding to a
Gibeon (in fact it is so far the only specimen of the new irons, we came
across, showing such features):

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1494g-3.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/1494g-4.jpg

Something like that you haven't with Ziz.

Weight is 1494g, dimensions 110 x 98 x 47 mm.

Strongest indicator, that they can't be Ziz, are the numerous and voluminous
silicate portions of the interior, partially even detectable from outside.
Here again the cut-surface - not etched - which Stefan already had posted
earlier:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/new-iron.jpg


It was also asked, whether Ziz simply could have been a case like Seymchan,
where samples with olivines exist, but also sheer metal lumps. One could add
Brenham and Glorieta too. I would say no, because these are all main group
pallasites. Therefore they have a higher Ni-content and etched pallasites
display normally the structure of a medium octahedrite, and the precursor
iron is said to be an IIIAB.
Ziz however is an IAB and a coarse octahedrite.

Perhaps only for clarification, although Svend did it already here.
But because the report from the French lab could have been misunderstood:
They looked there only for the structural type, hence whether it is a
finest, a fine, a medium, a course... octahedrite and found out that the new
iron is a coarse octahedrite like Ziz is a coarse octahedrite too.
That alone says nothing about a pairing.
Remember, the by far largest iron group is the IAB/IIICD-complex and most
representatives of that group are coarse octahedrites.
Therefore the relevance regarding a possible pairing is the same as if one
would say Campo is an coarse octahedrite like Nantan,
Respectively they could have written too: The new iron is a coarse
octahedrite like Morasko.
Decisive for the classification, chemical grouping of an iron and the
pairing issue are the contents of Ni and the trace elements Ge, Ga, Ir (and
Au), which are very characteristic for each individual locales.
That classification still has to be done, Svend already handed in the
required samples.

Well and finally, that the new finds were here and there offered by the
Moroccans as possible Ziz and in turn from the few other sellers as Ziz is
understandable. Keep in mind, how far below the average the output of desert
iron is in relation to stones and how mere the absolute output of irons from
NWA-wonderland, as well as from Oman is in total.
And there are almost no irons with such fine regmaglypts, Taza and Ziz, what
else? So of course everyone, would suppose initially that these great new
finds should be Ziz.

Here our last individual, of those we have left. Not so spectacular and
outstanding like the first ones, but still very fine and very representative
for the new desert iron:

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/736g-1.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/736g-2.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/736g-3.jpg

http://www.chladnis-heirs.com/vip/736g-4.jpg


Weight is 736g, dimensions 93 x 55 x 45 mm


So, now the price.
Remember how the desert irons were paid during the last years.
In principle the new iron should be good for a quite high price, seen the
aesthetics of the new irons in general and of the specimens presented here
in particular. Naturally we should care for a maximisation of profit,
but due to certain circumstances, we will give them away at

3$ or 2Euro per gram.

In my eyes a somewhat inadequate price and I hope other dealers don't take
it as an offense, I know, they were going higher on ebay - hence just let
call it a special sale.

Of course it is difficult for the cautious collector - with NWAs it is
simply unpredictable, which quantities will surface,
I personally don't have the impression, that these new irons will be once
the Campo of the desert (else they should have appeared already a longer
while ago in the assortments of most offerors of NWA-material and at the
iron specialists)
but remember the former desert irons and if you take in account the quality
especially of both larger specimens, I would think, that one can't go wrong
with them and whether an increase in value will appear, seems to me not a
principle question, but rather a question of a short- or medium-term
perspective.
But this is my private opinion only.



Now to the not so nice news.

Just back yesterday from travels, I was shocked today to hear,
that the better half of Chladni's Heirs, our esteemed Stefan, had an
relatively grave accident and is still in intensive care,
but he will hopefully return home in about a week for a following full
recovery.

So I'm collecting the wishes from all sides, to send them to him
and ask all collectors and friends for the understanding, that here and
there delays in the transactions with Chladni's Heirs may occur.

Best Greetings,
Martin


Stefan Ralew & Martin Altmann

Chladni's Heirs
Munich - Berlin
Fine Meteorites for Science & Collectors
http://www.chladnis-heirs.com

IMCA #3368 & #3825
Received on Thu 11 Sep 2008 09:00:08 PM PDT