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LOT 0443
Egyptian Stone Age Knapped Handaxe
LOWER PALAEOLITHIC PERIOD, CIRCA 500,000-250,000 B.P.
4 7/8 in. (363 grams, 12.5 cm).
Expertly shaped through percussion flaking, creating zigzagging lateral edges, with a roughly ovate or teardrop form and a heavy, thick butt, tapering down to a distinct working edge. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the collection of A.D. Passmore (1879-1958), his collection of flints from the area of Stonehenge was donated to the Ashmolean Museum in the 1950s.
From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.
Accompanied by a copy of an old handwritten information card by Peter Clayton.
The Egyptian flint hand axe, or biface, is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces. This tool holds the record for being the longest-used tool in human history. The technical term 'biface' comes from the archetypal model, generally a bifacial Lithic flake with an almond-shaped morphology. Hand axes typically have a pointed end and a rounded base, giving them their characteristic shape, and both faces have been knapped to remove the natural cortex, at least partially.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0443
Egyptian Stone Age Knapped Handaxe
Estimate £150 - 200€170 - 230 (for guidance only)$200 - 270 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£5 (EUR 6; USD 7) +BP*
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Egyptian Terracotta Alexandrian Figure
Roman Period, 30 B.C.-323 A.D.Estimate: £120 - 170 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Hollow-formed vessel with bulbous body and two flared feet below, vertical handle with loop finial and moulded mummy and dolphin motif; marine accretion; inked to underside 'Ex M. Suzanne / Alexandria / 1903-1920'. 178 grams, 19.5 cm
From the collection of David Donlan (1947-2025), a dedicated and lifelong collector with a passion for the ancient world and the natural sciences, forming his collection from 1960s onwards, using many reputable dealers across the United Kingdom, including the well-regarded Coincraft and The Parthenon Gallery. -
Large Egyptian Painted Wooden Ptah-Sokar-Osiris Figure
New Kingdom, circa 12th century B.C. or laterEstimate: £800 - 1,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Mummiform figure wearing a long lappet wig, with traces of blue and white pigment; a hole in the top of the head, likely to accept a separately fashioned headdress. 460 grams, 34.5 cm
with a privately curated collection, 1980s-early 2000s. From the private collection and estate of Christine Simons (1943-2025), West Midlands, UK.
Initially representing Osiris, this statuette type gradually merged with the Memphite deity Ptah-Sokar. It became a common grave good in the Late Period and the Graeco-Roman era. It was typically depicted standing on a long, rectangular base, wearing a tall, distinctive crown of two large, opposing feathers, with a sun disc on the lower front and ram's horns beneath. The recess in the crown of the present example was likely intended to accommodate this crown. -
Egyptian Papyrus Fragments in Display Stand
Demotic, 300 B.C.-300 A.D.Estimate: £50 - 70 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Irregular papyrus fragments with traces of Demotic and Greek script; mounted in a protective acrylic display. 80 grams total, 16 cm including stand
with a privately curated collection, 1980s-early 2000s. From the private collection and estate of Christine Simons (1943-2025), West Midlands, UK.
