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Cigar-shaped in profile and lntoid in section with small patch of cortex. 457 grams, 19.5 cm

Found Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
Acquired from Mr Edwards in November 2002.
From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; with collection no.N143; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent.

A large and substantial handaxe with glossy mottled patina. 708 grams, 18 cm

Found in the Somme region of Northern France.
From the collection of amateur archaeologist Mr M. Allais, formed in the mid-1900s.
Acquired on the European art market.
From the private collection of an East Anglian, UK, collector.

The 'Lancelot' form is well regarded as a typology of handaxes from the Lower Palaeolithic.
With two bands of incised geometric ornament to the outer face, carinated rim; inked inscription to underside 'Barrow / Cranborne Chase / [...] burial'. 740 grams, 13 cm

Found Cranborne Chase, UK.
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

See Grinsel, L., The Ancient Burial-mounds of England, London, 1953.

A squat pot with carinated profile, slightly everted rim, band of impressed linear ornament to the neck and chevrons to the shoulder. 760 grams, 16 cm wide

Acquired in the late 1950s.
From the family collection of a South East London collector.

See Briard, J., The Bronze Age in Barbarian Europe, London, 1979, for discussion.

A carved and polished figurine with rounded head and broad shoulders, folded arms resting on each side of the protruding belly, legs folded beneath the body; mounted on a custom-made stand. 1.07 kg total, 15.3 cm high including stand

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Cf. Morris, D., The Art of Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1985, figs.108-109, p.119, for similar idols; Various, Idoles, Au commencement etait l’image, A la Reine Margot, 22 Novembre 1990-28 Fevrier 1991, Paris, 1990, figs.10-11, for similar; also see Caldwell, Duncan, The Use of Animals in Birth Protection Rituals and Possible Uses of Stone Figurines from the Central Sahel, 2015 winter issue, vol.48, no.4, Nov., pp.14-25.

Most scholars consider these as symbols of the fertility cult and as evidence of the existence of a matriarchal society as a form of organisation of the earliest human society. The people of the Stone Age may have considered figures such as this to represent women and mothers with their life-giving powers, or as depictions of the ancestors.
Tall with rounded profile, stub arms and head without facial detailing, vestigial legs; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 1.04 kg total, 23 cm high including stand

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12352-223252.

Cf. Morris, D., The Art of Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1985, figs.107-108, p.119, for similar idols; also see Caldwell, Duncan, ‘The Use of Animals in Birth Protection Rituals and Possible Uses of Stone Figurines from the Central Sahel’ in African Arts, UCLA, 2015 Winter issue, vol.48, no.4, Nov., pp.14-25, fig.5, letters Q-T, Y.

Most scholars consider these as symbols of the fertility cult and as evidence of the existence of a matriarchal society as a form of organisation of the earliest human society. The people of the Stone Age may have considered figures such as this to represent women and mothers with their life-giving powers, or as depictions of the ancestors.
Modelled in the round as a figure with rudimentary head and limbs, emphasised belly and breasts supported on bent arms; mounted on a custom-made stand. 550 grams total, 15 cm including stand

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12333-224213.

Cf. Morris, D., The Art of Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1985, figs.107-108, p.119, for similar idols; also see Caldwell, Duncan, ‘The Use of Animals in Birth Protection Rituals and Possible Uses of Stone Figurines from the Central Sahel’ in African Arts, UCLA, 2015 Winter issue, vol.48, no.4, Nov., pp.14-25, figs.5, letter Q.

Most scholars consider these as symbols of the fertility cult and as evidence of the existence of a matriarchal society as a form of organisation of the earliest human society. The people of the Stone Age may have considered figures such as this to represent women and mothers with their life-giving powers, or as depictions of the ancestors.
Group of three carved and polished figurines with rounded heads and broad shoulders, folded arms resting on each side, legs folded beneath the body; each mounted on a custom-made stand. 1.27 kg total, 8.7-11.5 cm including stand

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12351-223248.

Cf. Morris, D., The Art of Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1985, figs.107,109, p.119, for similar idols; Various, Idoles, Au commencement etait l’image, A la Reine Margot, 22 Novembre 1990-28 Fevrier 1991, Paris, 1990, figs. 10-11, for similar; also see Caldwell, Duncan, ‘The Use of Animals in Birth Protection Rituals and Possible Uses of Stone Figurines from the Central Sahel’ in African Arts, UCLA, 2015 Winter issue, vol.48, no.4, Nov., pp.14-25, fig.5, especially letters C,H,J.

Most scholars consider these as symbols of the fertility cult and as evidence of the existence of a matriarchal society as a form of organisation of the earliest human society. The people of the Stone Age may have considered figures such as this to represent women and mothers with their life-giving powers, or as depictions of the ancestors.
Lot No. 0354
4
Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,105
Formed as two large tightly-wound coils; similar verso with pin absent. 497 grams, 20.2 cm

Ex Surrey, UK, collection, 1980s.

Formed from a single length of rod; median hoop of four coils developing at each end to a perpendicular coiled plaque. 28.29 grams, 67.66 mm overall, 19.54 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16.23, Japan 15)

From a family collection mostly formed in the 1940s-1950s, thence by descent.

Lot No. 0360
7
Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
Comprising a leaf-shaped blade with prominent midrib extending to a flaring socket; opposed lateral holes to accept attachment pegs. 64 grams, 13 cm

Acquired on the German art market, 2000.
Private collection, Europe.

Lot No. 0361
8
Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
With flared socket developing to a midrib in a leaf-shaped blade; opposed lateral holes to accept attachment pegs. 130 grams, 16.5 cm

From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; with collection no.C2; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent.

Cf. Ehrenberg, M., Bronze Spearheads from Berks, Bucks and Oxon, BAR 34, Oxford, 1977, item 37, for type.

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