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

Comprising: barbed and tanged arrowheads in an old matchbox with gummed label 'A/Hds BxT / Tilford / Ex. Edge Coll.'; piriform arrowhead in old matchbox with gummed label ' Leaf arrowhead Crooksbury'. 23.9 grams total, 20-33 mm



Found Tilford and Crooksbury, near Farnham, UK. 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.

Piriform type with flat butt and old label 'Kent Swanscombe'. 114 grams, 77 mm



Found Swanscombe, Kent, UK. From the original collection of Henry Dewey. From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman.

Remains of the iron-rich soil still in situ. Attributed to Homo heidelbergensis

Heater-shaped in plan with barbs and short tang. 39.5 grams, 10.2 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.

Leaf-shaped with long cutting edges; inked note reading 'S.America, AS.16., HF'. 3.18 grams, 42 mm



With desired Hugh Fawcett Collection monogram. From the collection of 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.

Tongue-shaped in plan and biconvex in section with broad base and rounded edge. 310 grams, 12.9 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.

Large irregular type with flat butt, handwritten legen 'Lakenheath, Suffolk'. 238 grams, 73 mm



Found Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK, in the 1970s. From a private collection.

Mixed group of mainly pointed microliths, about 50% with inked annotation. 9 grams total, 12-38 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.

Leaf-shaped in plan with a rounded butt, a smooth recess for a thumb on one face. 788 grams, 15.5 cm



From the Aisne Region of France. From the collection of the famous UK musician and amateur archaeologist, Victor Brox (1941-2023). Acquired on the UK art market at auction after being sold by Mr Brox’s family. From a private collection.

Single-edged blade with scooped section, thick back, angled butt; marked 'Reignac'. 16.5 grams, 75 mm



Found in the Reignac Caves, Tursac, France. Acquired by Jacques Nabon (1923-2016), who amassed a prestigious assemblage of prehistoric artefacts with meticulous provenance. Pieces that have passed through his collection are highly sought after. Acquired on the UK art market. From the private collection of an East Anglian, UK, specialist collector.

Rectangular-shaped in plan and plano-convex in profile, with rounded ends. 12.8 grams, 53.5 mm



Found Icklingham, Suffolk, UK. From a private collection.

Scaphoid in plan and plano-convex in section with inked '24' notation; attached to an old collector's card with legends 'Bronze Age' and 'Plano-convex Knife'. 33.8 grams total, 69 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.

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 six implements, each with an inked collector's note. 57 grams total, 33-58 mm



Found Dialstone, Cumbria, UK. From the collection of Mr G.A. From a private collection.