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

Long, thin awl made from a blade, the tip slightly dulled and the base thin and irregular. 3.99 grams, 59 mm



Found at Fourneau du Diable, Dordogne, an important Upper Palaeolithic prehistoric rock shelter. 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.

Piriform in plan with broad butt, natural nodule cavity to one face. 793 grams, 18 cm



El Golea, Algeria, Africa. Ex old German collection formed in the 1970s by Dr J Fehkhaber. Acquired on the European art market.

Comprising two groups placed in old labelled matchboxes, one labelled 'Pit-Dwellings.507.' and containing four implements, the other labelled 'Microliths.Primaries. F.G.P. South.' and containing ten microliths with inked Roman numerals. 33 grams total including boxes, 16-48 mm



Found Tilford, near Farnham, Hampshire. 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.

Comprising two barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, two leaf-shaped arrowheads, one with a collector's note 'N.DENE WAVERLEY'; and one scraper-type implement with a slightly curving bevelled edge. 11.3 grams total, 22-36 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.

Comprising two blades made from bluish-white flint, and one made of dark blue-grey flint. 18.3 grams total, 48-52 mm



Found at Fourneau du Diable, Bourdielles Dordogne, an important Upper Palaeolithic prehistoric rock shelter. 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. Each accompanied by an illustrated collector's information card.

Trapezoidal in plan, and lentoid in section with curved edge polished, butt left natural; applied label 'Montigny L'Allier'. 85 grams, 81 mm



Found Montigny, France. Acquired on the UK art market in the 2020s. From a private collection.

Light grey stone mottled with blue, with a gently curving blade and some cortex on the upper edge. 24.4 grams, 89 mm



Found at Fourneau du Diable, Bourdielles Dordogne, an important Upper Palaeolithic prehistoric rock shelter. 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 collector's information card.

Piriform in plan and lentoid in section with broad cutting edge. 89.4 grams, 81 mm



Found in the vicinity of High Beech and Loughton Camp, Essex, UK. From the collection of a Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, gentleman. Accompanied by an original letter from Epping Forest District Museum collections manager dated 7th September 1991, stating that the find was 'most interesting, since the find spot was in the vicinity of both High Beech and Loughton Camp'.

Piriform body in orangey flint, an old handwritten collector's label to one side. 195 grams, 10.7 cm



Found Test Road, Huzbourough Copse, Hampshire, UK, June 1965. From the collection of Martin Doyle, Leverstock, UK, 1980s-2000s.

Mixed group of various types, including barbed, tanged, lozenge-shaped, a curved dagger, and others; set in a glazed box frame. 1.1 kg total, 35.5 x 35.5 cm includimg frame



Found Northern Ireland, UK. From the collection of Martin Doyle, Leverstock, UK, 1980s-2000s.

Slender cutting edge and rounded butt, two old collection notes '3980/1/28' and 'SNC 12.83 WGS', as well as a small arrow on the other side. 194 grams, 84 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.

Barbed and tanged arrowhead, supplied in an old display case with a handwritten label 'Henouville 11/64 G.G.' 1.12 grams, 24 mm



From Henoville, France. Acquired in the 1970s-1990s. From the collections of the famous UK musician and amateur archaeologist, Victor Brox (1941-2023). Acquired on the UK art market in the 2020s. From a private collection.