Code: 2157
Description: A group of three plano-convex grey-brown flint slug knives, all with dense blue-white patination and all made from elongate flakes. The knives have some inoffensive chips and minor ironing staining, but overall condition good and a nice group. Two of the knives found at Herringswell, near Mildenhall, Suffolk, the other found at Eriswell, near Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Size: 54-59 mm/2.1-2.3 ins. in length
Culture: Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age
Date: c. 2500-1200 B.C.
Provenance: Two ex Dr H.A. Fawcett Collection and with his collectors mark. One ex F.S. Clark Collection, Woking, Surrey, and with his collectors mark.
Background: Dr Hugh Alderson Fawcett (1891-1982) built up an important collection of ancient implements, weapons and ornaments that eventually numbered some eight thousand items. The bulk of this collection is now in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, but Fawcett previously sold or traded many pieces in order to improve his collection. His distinctive monogram and careful recording of provenance makes his pieces readily identifiable.
Mr Fred Clark (1923-2016) ran the Old Curiosity Shoppe, The Quadrant, Onslow Street, Guildford, Surrey, in the 1970’s-1980’s selling a range of collectables. A passionate collector and field-walker, he built up a fine collection of antiquities, notable for British prehistoric items, a significant number of which he obtained through trade with Dr. H.A. Fawcett. Like Fawcett, he was meticulous in documenting his collection, even the most humble tools were catalogued and fully labelled with locality, accession number and his characteristic monogram.
Notes: Slug knives are distinctive plano-convex knives, so called as they resemble garden slugs. Mounted in a bone or wooden handle, they would have acted as the equivalent of modern penknives.
UK sale only please.
