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

Rounded blade and cortex-covered butt, old inked collection numbers 'SNC 9.60 W.G.S' and 3968/1/28', and a pencilled note '150.9' to the other side. 152 grams, 79 mm



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

Ovate axe with an old collection sticker on one side and an inked collector's note 'France. Rosehill Coll.'; repaired. 445 grams, 13.4 cm



From France (according to inscription). The Rosehill Collection of the Rt Hon David Carnegie (1865-1921), 10th Earl of Northesk (according to inscription), and likely sold at the sale of his collection at Christie's, London, 14-17 July 1924. Collection of Michel C. Vaes (1934-2024), Belgium, formed 1960s-90s. Accompanied by a copy of EU Licence no.2026 DMF 0436.

Comprising mostly bifacial and unifacial barbed and tanged flint and chert arrowheads; probably from the Sahara region of North Africa. 118 grams total, 19-46 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.

Well-preserved bone needle with tapering profile and rounded end. 1.77 grams, 88 mm



From Abris Val De Seine, France. From an auction with Art Remy Le Fur. Acquired on the European art market in the 2020s. Accompanied by a copy of a French export licence no.257541.

The Magdalenian is a technocomplex of the Late Upper Palaeolithic, named after the type site, Abri de la Madeleine, a rock shelter in the Vézère valley near Tursac in Dordogne, France.

Slender double-edged blade with pointed ends. 40 grams, 15.1 cm



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

Rectangular in section, with squared butt and slightly curved edge; polished on all four faces with superb orange patina. 560 grams, 14.7 cm



From the estate of artist Holger Karlsson, Trollhatte, Sweden. Acquired in Stockholm, Sweden. Accompanied by a copy of a Swedish National Heritage Board export permit.

Barbed and tanged type with square ends to the tang. 5.18 grams, 42 mm



From the collection of a late Buckinghamshire gentleman, formed from the 1960s.

With a thick butt and a narrow, tapering point. 497 grams, 13.7 cm



From Wadi Talia, Africa. Ex old German collection formed in the 1970s by Dr J Fehkhaber. Acquired on the European art market.

Ovate blade in cream-coloured stone, narrow point, inked collector's note 'N.America S.A 37' and Hugh Fawcett collection monogram below. 25.4 grams, 79 mm



Ex Dr Hugh Alderson Fawcett (1891-1982), a general practitioner and antiquarian who built up an important collection of ancient implements, weapons and ornaments. From the collection of a West Sussex collector. Acquired from the UK art market in the 2020s.

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 make his pieces readily identifiable.

Biconvex in section with broad butt and point; inked findspot 'Crickers Heath Farm Dunsfold'. 223 grams, 13.8 cm



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.

A substantial flint core or so-called 'Livre de Beurre' with vertical traces of blows on the work side. 1.99 kg, 25.3 cm



Previously in an old Stone Age tool collection. Acquired from an Oxfordshire, UK, auction house. From the private collection of a West Midlands lady collector.

Tongue-shaped in plan and lentoid in profile; fine polished finish. 206 grams, 82 mm



From a UK private collection since at least 1946. Property of a West London, UK, gentleman.