Horsham Large Stone Age Polished Axehead

Cordiform type from a large flake and very finely worked on one face; marked 'Muzrak'. 638 grams, 18.5 cm



From the Northern Sahara, North Africa. From a collection formed during the 1970s and 1980s, having been acquired on the British art market; thence by descent to the current owner in 1998.

Triangular in section with old inked legends 'Farnham Water Lane', 'JHG/W.L/R93', 'W.L. surface by gra[v]es' and other partly effaced. 253 grams, 14.9 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.

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.