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Sensational Meteorite Chess Set image 1
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Lot 4423

Sensational Meteorite Chess Set

16 May 2018, 10:00 PDT
Los Angeles

US$15,000 - US$20,000

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Sensational Meteorite Chess Set

Sikhote-Alin Complete Specimens: Iron-Nickel, Sikhote-Alin Mountains, Siberia;
Seymchan Etched Slices: Pallasite, Seymchan, Magadan District, Eastern Russia

Boasting marvelous specimens from two famous Russian meteorites, this captivating chess set is the ultimate in unique luxury for the avid chess player or meteorite collector. For one opponent, complete specimens of Sikhote Alin inspire a winning game; for the other, sliced and etched Seymchan specimens.

Having fallen on Feb. 12, 1947 in Siberia, Sikhote-Alins are the best preserved of all known iron-nickel meteorites, as exemplified by the present complete specimens, which display desirable regmaglypts (textural variations caused by melting during the meteorite's fiery descent toward Earth.) Seymchan fell in far eastern Russia in 1967. Originally classified as an iron-nickel meteorite, it was recently identified as a far more rare pallasite. The present sliced and etched specimens display the beautiful crystalline structure seen only in extraterrestrial metal.

The gorgeous chessboard is composed of hand cut smoky quartz and clear quartz. For clarity, each base identifies the chess piece it supports. Height of largest pieces measuring 4-4 1/2in; Each square on the board measuring 2 3/8in x2 3/8in; Board measuring 19 x 19in

Footnotes

Luis Alberto Quispe Aparicio
Luis Aparicio's works are displayed in museums in the United States and Europe and are enjoyed by private collectors around the world. Following a second-generation family tradition in the fabrication of objects d'art, Luis' studio specializes in the carving of ruby. The second hardest stone after diamond, few artists have managed to successfully work this mineral, as it requires a very advanced technique for carving and polishing.

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