The Tektite & Impactite Gallery presents a selection of historic tektites and impactites held by the Tricottet Collection. Specimens are ordered geographically, with the journey starting in Australia (Australite, Darwin Glass), moving westward to Asia (Philippinite, Indochinite, Zhamanshinite), then Europe (Moldavite) and ending in America (Bediasite). All specimens carry a painted number and/or are accompanied by an original label. Most were deaccessioned from museums (Australian National University, South Australian Museum) or from renowned private collections (H. O. Beyer, W. D. Ehmann, Darryl Futrell, D. van Eek). Other specimens are from undetermined sources.
The Library of Meteoritics of the Tricottet Collection contains about 300 volumes related to meteorites and tektites. It is composed of antiquarian books, collection catalogues, newspaper clippings, inscribed books and unique manuscripts and correspondence letters. The library includes works from significant figures such as A. Brezina, E.F.F. Chladni, E. Cohen, O.C. Farrington, E.L. Krinov, G.P. Merrill, S. Meunier or H.H. Nininger. Very rare books include De indole et origine Aerolithorum by J.O. Bjorn (1816) and the 2-volume The Sikhote Alin Iron Meteorite Fall (in Russian) by V.G. Fesenkov and E.L. Krinov (1959-1963). Other important works include Die Meteorite in Sammlungen, ihre Geschichte, mineralogische und chemische Beschaffenheit by O. Buchner (1863), E. F. F. Chladni's Beschreibung seiner Sammlung vom Himmel herabgefallener Massen by E.F.F. Chladni (1825), Ueber die Meteoriten oder die meteorifchen Stein und Eifenmaffen by A. Kenngott (1863), Die Meteoriten by Partsch (1843), The Ward-Coonley Collection of Meteorites by Ward (1900) and Die Meteoriten in Sammlungen und ihre Literatur by E.A. Wülfing. The library also includes correspondence letters from G.L. English, G.I. Huss, G.P. Merrill and O.E. Monnig. Transcripts of these letters can be found in our Manuscript & Correspondence Archive.
The Cabinet of Curiosities of the Tricottet Collection consists of an heteroclite accumulation of Naturalia and Artificialia related to natural history. It includes impactifacts, which are unique artifacts that have been impacted by a meteorite, extremely rare mementos of the collision between two worlds: Earth and a meteoroid.