A late 19th – early 20th century antiquarian collection, various Periods, Palaeolithic – Bronze...

A late 19th – early 20th century antiquarian collection, various Periods, Palaeolithic – Bronze Age, Non-European and modern era

Comprising a collection of flint and stone implements, including a toffee-coloured ovate hand-axe with old ink inscribed label reading: ‘Kennet, Sept 16 ’94 Charlotte’s’, 9.5cm long; a milky grey flint axe of irregular form with curved cutting edge, 10cm long, with old ink inscribed label reading: ‘Mildenhall’; another small trapezoidal axe, 7.2cm long; a fragmentary Neolithic cream flint fragmentary axe, 8.5cm, with worn ink inscribed collection label; a Neolithic polished green stone trapezoidal axe, with old ink inscribed label reading: ‘W. Colchester collection. Source unknown’, 8.4cm long; a polished mottled dark grey stone axe with pointed butt and curved cutting edge, with old ink inscribed label reading: ‘W. Colchester collection. Source unknown’, 11cm long; a coarse grey stone axe with pointed butt and curved cutting edge, 11.6cm long;  a barbed arrowhead, 6.4cm long;  three Bronze Age copper alloy tools and weapons: a spearhead with leaf-shaped blade, 14cm long, an ink inscribed label reading: ‘Bronze Age spearhead W Colchester collection…..’; a looped palstave, with trident decoration, 14cm long, with old ink inscribed label reading: ‘Bronze Age axe W Colchester coll. origin unknown’ and an unlooped palstave with crescentic cutting edge, 15.6cm long; three flint arrowheads and arrow tips, mounted on card and ink inscribed ‘Mildenhall 1896 & 1897’, 2.4cm to 5cm long; a jadeite trapezoidal axe from New Zealand, 7.3cm long; a collection of obsidian flakes; five modern gun flints, all with old collection labels and notes, stored in a partitioned wood box        (a lot)

Provenance:

Ovate hand axe: with an old label reading: ‘Keep this flint knife from Kennett, Suffolk because I know that it was actually found by aunt Charlotte Willison, Sept 16 1894. It is also left-handed. 13.11.10.58’.

Polished green stone axe: with an old label reading: ‘Celt (greenstone) purchased from James's wife at a [….] farm…near Scarborough (?) E. Yorkshire. Summer 1906’.

Barbed arrowhead: with an old ink inscribed label reading: ‘Arrowhead in flint obtained from a workman at the Giant’s Causeway N. Ireland. Said by him to have been found in fields near the neighbouring Dunseverick Castle K.B.25.4.08’

Arrowheads on card: with an old label reading: ‘Flint arrowhead from the gravels of Mildenhall Suffolk 1896 & 1897. William Colchester Collection.

New Zealand axe: With an ink inscribed card and a label reading: ‘Greenstone axe from New Zealand given to W. Colchester by Mr T. T. Ball (obtained in N.Z. about 1845). Mari-Ponamu (stone of the Sea)’

Obsidian flakes: Accompanied by an ink inscribed collection label reading: ‘Obsidian implements & flakes (aurignacian) from the 4th occupation level of Gamble’s Cave, Elementaita, Kenya Colony. It was being excavated* when V.M.B. and K. B. visited it with the British association on 9.9.29 *by Leakey & Solomon.’

Gun flints:  Each with old ink inscribed labels, card, one noting it was made by the author of the card (H.B), Brandon, Suffolk, Sept 1900, with an ink inscribed noted dated Sept 1900, H.B., explaining how they were made.

Christie’s, South Kensington, Antiquities and Souvenirs of the Grand Tour, 19 May 1992, lot 5, partially illustrated, where acquired by the present owner.