French Stone Age Fontmaure Jasper Neanderthal Knapped Flint Blade

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.

Hammerstone with rounded ends; old typed label 'ENQ:III5, Cherty sand-stone. 1950', 'Trottsford 19/3/50' and others mainly effaced. 310 grams, 11.4 cm



Found Trottsford, Norfolk, UK, on 19th March 1950. 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.

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. Neolithic people are known to have engaged in flint mining. Polished axes and leaf forms, arrowheads and knives, or possibly lance heads, are characteristic of Neolithic flint work.

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.