Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History, Stamps & Coins

Triangular in section with leaf-shaped head and stepped tang; collector's inked reference to underside 'Nachal Avdat / 5. Negev Desert' and the corresponding record card. 2.28 grams, 41 mm



From the S. Negev Desert, Israel. From the private collection of Mr Brian Edwards, New Malden, Surrey, UK, formed from the late 1970s-early 1980s; thence by descent. Accompanied by an old handwritten information card.

Thin scraper with some cortex, two old inked collection notes '4051/1/28' and 'SNC WGS 2(?)'. 44.7 grams, 58 mm



Previously in several old Stone Age tool collections, having been annotated with two different accession numbers. Acquired from an Oxfordshire, UK, auction house. From the private collection of a West Midlands lady collector.

Biconvex in section, knapped in dark red quartzite with broad edge. 425 grams, 10.1 cm



From the Northern Sahara, North Africa. From a collection formed during the 1970s and 1980s, having been acquired on the British art market; thence by descent to the current owner in 1998.

Comprising: two barbed-and-tanged types, two leaf-shaped and one triangular with an old handwritten sticker reading ' Sewage Farm Farnham June 1916'. 15.06 grams total, 25-46 mm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Faulker (1875-1963), and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental with the excavation works and pit dwellings at sites including Six Bells, Frensham, Tilford, Thursley and Bagshot, and Waverley, amongst others at and near Farnham in the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the material is now in the prestigious Farnham museum. The present part of the collection having been gifted to their good friend and Haselmere Parish Priest, Charles Borelli (c.1914-2000) of Farnham; who was part of the Borelli family from Italy who emigrated from Lake Como in 1828 to set up the Borelli family watch and jewellery business; thence by family descent to his nephew.

Farnham district is one of the most interesting prehistoric regions in England, and has been visited by a succession of prehistoric peoples from Palaeolithic times onwards. Along the southern slope of the Farnham valley are three gravel terraces, which are famous prehistorically and have yielded large quantities of flint implements and bones of prehistoric animals, notably the mammoth. In prehistoric times, the chalk deposits played an important role in attracting settlers, as they contained rich layers of flint nodules used to make implements. The Farnham Gravels have been an abundant source of Palaeolithic finds, most prominent being hand axes. The axes differ in type, and each type is associated with a cultural phase of the Palaeolithic period. Types similar to these are found in similar deposits in the Somme valley and in many English valley gravels. Flint mining was also carried out by the Neolithic folk. Polished axes and leaf forms, arrowheads and knives, or possibly lance heads, are characteristic of the Neolithic flint work.

Tongue-shaped in plan with a broad, curved cutting edge. 92.9 grams, 10.8 cm



Found in Suffolk in the 1980s by a field walker. Acquired on the UK art market in the 2020s. From a private collection.

Cordiform type from a large flake and very finely worked on one face; marked 'Muzrak'. 638 grams, 18.5 cm



From the Northern Sahara, North Africa. From a collection formed during the 1970s and 1980s, having been acquired on the British art market; thence by descent to the current owner in 1998.

Mainly ovate types, some with cortex and inked findspot and other details. 350 grams total, 39-65 mm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Faulker (1875-1963), and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental with the excavation works and pit dwellings at sites including Six Bells, Frensham, Tilford, Thursley and Bagshot, and Waverley, amongst others at and near Farnham in the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the material is now in the prestigious Farnham museum. The present part of the collection having been gifted to their good friend and Haselmere Parish Priest, Charles Borelli (c.1914-2000) of Farnham; who was part of the Borelli family from Italy who emigrated from Lake Como in 1828 to set up the Borelli family watch and jewellery business; thence by family descent to his nephew.

Farnham district is one of the most interesting prehistoric regions in England, and has been visited by a succession of prehistoric peoples from Palaeolithic times onwards. Along the southern slope of the Farnham valley are three gravel terraces, which are famous prehistorically and have yielded large quantities of flint implements and bones of prehistoric animals, notably the mammoth. In prehistoric times, the chalk deposits played an important role in attracting settlers, as they contained rich layers of flint nodules used to make implements. The Farnham Gravels have been an abundant source of Palaeolithic finds, most prominent being hand axes. The axes differ in type, and each type is associated with a cultural phase of the Palaeolithic period. Types similar to these are found in similar deposits in the Somme valley and in many English valley gravels. Flint mining was also carried out by the Neolithic folk. Polished axes and leaf forms, arrowheads and knives, or possibly lance heads, are characteristic of the Neolithic flint work.

Mixed group of various blades, flakes and implements, an old handwritten note 'Escargotiere du Khanguet el-mouhad, found 27 3 43'. 250 grams total, 18-90 mm, box: 11.2 x 8.3 mm



From Khanget el-Mouhad, Algeria, 27 March 1943. From a private collection. In an old 'Tea Ration' tin accompanied by an old slip of paper with handwritten provenance.

Mixed group including slender blade flakes and scapers, one with old inked catalogue numbers. 73 grams total, 40-79 mm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Faulker (1875-1963), and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental with the excavation works and pit dwellings at sites including Six Bells, Frensham, Tilford, Thursley and Bagshot, and Waverley, amongst others at and near Farnham in the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the material is now in the prestigious Farnham museum. The present part of the collection having been gifted to their good friend and Haselmere Parish Priest, Charles Borelli (c.1914-2000) of Farnham; who was part of the Borelli family from Italy who emigrated from Lake Como in 1828 to set up the Borelli family watch and jewellery business; thence by family descent to his nephew.

Farnham district is one of the most interesting prehistoric regions in England, and has been visited by a succession of prehistoric peoples from Palaeolithic times onwards. Along the southern slope of the Farnham valley are three gravel terraces, which are famous prehistorically and have yielded large quantities of flint implements and bones of prehistoric animals, notably the mammoth. In prehistoric times, the chalk deposits played an important role in attracting settlers, as they contained rich layers of flint nodules used to make implements. The Farnham Gravels have been an abundant source of Palaeolithic finds, most prominent being hand axes. The axes differ in type, and each type is associated with a cultural phase of the Palaeolithic period. Types similar to these are found in similar deposits in the Somme valley and in many English valley gravels. Flint mining was also carried out by the Neolithic folk. Polished axes and leaf forms, arrowheads and knives, or possibly lance heads, are characteristic of the Neolithic flint work.

Finely worked blade with an inked collector's note on one side. 130 grams, 10.6 cm



Found Oigny-En-Valois, France. From an old large French collection. Acquired on the European art market. From the private collection of an East Anglian, UK, specialist collector.

Triangular flint point labelled 'Celtique Trouve avec des os et de vases. Toubiere de la Somme’ (Celtic, Found with bones and vases, peat beds of the Somme). 18.5 grams, 63 mm



Found by Boucher-des-Perthes in the 1800s. Ex Jacques Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes (1788-1868), sometimes referred to as Boucher de Perthes. Ex Sir Arthur John Evans (1851–1941), British archaeologist and son of Sir John Evans (1823-1908). Ex Henry Dewey (1876–1965), a prominent British geologist and archaeologist who made seminal contributions to the study of the Palaeolithic period. Ex R Richard Widdowson, a well-known UK-based antiquities specialist who owned the gallery 'Ancient Times' in Scarborough in Southern England. Ex J Weston Smith. Accompanied by an illustrated envelope and two collector's information cards.

Comprising mostly bifacial and uniface leaf-shaped and piriform flint and chert arrowheads; probably from the Sahara region of North Africa. 90 grams total, 23-38 mm



UK gallery, early 2000s.

Similar specimens of arrowheads have been found in the Eastern Sahara Region of Abu Tartur Plateau. Most of the arrowheads came from the El Jarar Neolithic, c. 7700-7300 B.P. (c.6500-6100 B.C.). Other parallels occur in the region of Kharga Oasis.