Cumberland Falls is not the only famous meteorite hailing from Kentucky in this offering. From the other end of the state there was another significant meteorite event that occurred thirty years after Cumberland Falls outside the city of Murray. On September 20, 1950, a brilliant fireball and multiple sonic booms were experienced prior to a pelting of meteorites of which only 12 kilograms were recovered. Like Winchcombe (see lot 1) and Murchison (see lot 26), Murray is a breccia that has experienced varying degrees of aquas alteration on its parent asteroid. This is a much sought-after CM2 meteorite which contains noble gas components with anomalous isotopic compositions that formed before the birth of our solar system.

In addition to a wide host of other organic compounds, at least 17 different amino acids — the building blocks of proteins — have been discovered in Murray specimens. At least 11 of these amino acids are not found in proteins on Earth. Meteorites like Murray and other CM2 meteorites lend support to the Panspermia Theory of Creation — which is in effect, the theoretical seeding of life or its chemical precursors on a cosmic scale.

The front of this specimen is draped with fusion crust. The reverse is a clean fractured face that reveals both chondrules and CAIs (calcium aluminum inclusions). The CAIs are among the first bits of solid matter that formed in the solar nebula from which our solar system was born and they are the oldest matter humankind can touch. Sample number “USNM 1769” (United States National Museum) is painted on the specimen.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

34 x 39 x 13mm (1.33 x 1.5 x 0.5 in.) and 14.79g (74 carats)