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

Group of microliths, each with a pointed end; about 50% with inked annotation. 10 grams total, 12-35 mm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Falkner (1875-1963) and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental in 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.

Trapezoidal in plan and square in section at the butt with broad curved edge; inked legend 'Harland Coll.'. 155 grams, 10.7 cm



Ex Harland collection. From the collection of 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.

Tongue-shaped in plan with broad butt, marked 'U.S.A. KA.05.x'. 14.5 grams, 76 mm



With the desired Hugh Fawcett Collection monogram. From the collection of a West Sussex, UK, collector.

Dr. Hugh Alderson Fawcett (1891-1982) was a general practitioner and antiquarian who built up an important collection of ancient implements, weapons and ornaments. The bulk of his collection is now in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, but Fawcett previously sold or traded some examples. His distinctive monogram and careful recording of provenance makes his pieces readily identifiable.

Slender leaf-shaped flake blade with rounded ends; old inked notation 'Adrar Sirlet, Thierry 1981' 195 grams, 20 cm



Inked Adrar Sirlet, Thierry, 1981. Ex old German collection.

Lentoid in section and ovate in plan with smooth surface and corrugated edge. 211 grams, 12.8 cm



From the collection of 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.

Triangular in section with flat butt and irregular tip; old inked label 'Farringdon'. 35 grams, 90 mm



Found Farringdon, London Borough of Islington, UK. This blade was gifted to 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.

Knapped triangular point with a flaring tang, in translucent black obsidian. 14.6 grams, 53 mm



Found in Mississippi Valley, Arkansas, U.S.A. From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old typed information slip.

Many with old inked reference numbers, 'HH' initials, findspot and other details. 433 grams total, 37-77 mm



Previously in the collection of archaeologist Frederick William Robins. With handwritten notes.

Including hammer-stones, side-scrapers, end-scrapers, burins, handaxes, arrowheads and unworked flints, many with inked findspot; and old collector's notes. 6 kg total, 4.5-16 cm



Previously in the collection of archaeologist Frederick William Robbins. Accompanied by eight original handwritten labels. Accompanied by a printed short article on Robbins with a bibliography.

Biconvex in section with cortex to the butt, inked '11 526/32' legend. 153 grams, 10.5 cm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Falkner (1875-1963) and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental in 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.