Indian Artifacts Pre 1600, Scottsbluff. " Stemmed Lanceolate ". Early Archaic




Item History & Price

Information:
Reference Number: Avaluer:4265995Origin: Illinois
Original Description:
     Indian artifacts pre 1600, This blade looks like a Scottsbluff, but technically it is a Stemmed Archaic blade.This description contains a critique of modern authentication practices, and demonstrates what I believe are better methods for understanding ancient tools. I am using this particular blade as an example. I really hope this does not become to personal with other collectors, nobody likes change, especially if it goes against prevailing wisdom. I actually beli...eve some people get into this business to try to help stem the flow of reproductions which is a really bad problem in the hobby.  But there is a downside regarding the way some of these people are authenticating.       
       Years ago when I first started collecting, the only COA's I remember were from Gregory Perino, John F, Berner  and maybe 2 others.  Now, since the dawn of the internet, there are a multitude of people certifying ancient artifacts. This is largely a result of all the new collectors that don't have a great deal of experience. This description contains a critique of the common practice of "analysis by microscope', but offers some alternative ideas regarding this subject.     I think that using a microscope can be a valuable tool in evaluating and ancient tool, but it should not be the primary source of analysis. When evaluating an ancient tool for purposes of authentication, one has consider the form, the contour of the blade, and other characteristics that I will discuss. (There is no substitute for experience).     
     I am going to put forth some ideas that some important collectors shared with me over the years.  Some of these I was taught, and some I just figured out from study.  In this description I'm going to share some of what I have learned over many years of study.     This is an ancient archaic stemmed blade, made of Burlington flint. This is what an authentic example looks like. It is about 5 and 2/16th inches long, and about 1 and 1/4 inches wide at the widest point.      I tried to get some good photos so you can see the nuances of the blade. Digital images can be  extremely valuable to evaluate an ancient blade .(They serve to magnify and illuminate certain characteristics of an ancient tool).       This is an long blade with very fine serrations. And it was longer before it was sharpened down. Many ancient blades from the archaic time period have no grinding on the base or stem. These blades can seem very sharp. And the bases of these blades can also seem unusually sharp. One side of the base of this blade is beveled. See (photo#3) , this is not uncommon for these types of blades.      This blade is rife with micro serrations, especially toward the tip as it should be. These serrations are indicative of certain archaic blades, and are very difficult to reproduce. Often times people are unaware just how sharp an ancient blade can be. How sharp is to sharp? Well to know that you have to gain experience, and that takes time.            This point is a slam dunk. In several photos you can see how the median ridge of the blade meanders to the left toward the tip of the blade. This is because of ancient resharpening. When you see (photo#6&7) , There is an old finger flake directly on the tip; this is evidence of resharpening. Now notice the new crescent thumb flake under the old one, on the left hand side of the blade under the tip. (photo#6&7)  This tells me that this blade was probably last used in the left handed position. The polished flake under the tip is an ancient thumb flake. Often times the ancient user wanted his thumb up toward the tip of the blade. This characteristic can often be seen on ancient blades, but not always. (This blade was a hand held tool). There are many things one has to consider to make an evaluation; but much of it only comes only with experience; and that cannot be circumvented, and there are a myriad of things to look for on ancient tools.
      The collecting community often relies on experts using microscopes in order to render an evaluation; but there is so much more to these tools than deposits. In fact, deposits are the last thing that I look for when examining ancient tools.( many ancient tools don't have deposits). When you send an artifact to try to attain a COA, they often want to know where you got it, and how much you paid; but come on man; just handle the piece; study it , and render a evaluation.. You don't need to know who sold it and how much it cost. And if you cannot handle different ideas, stay out of the hobby. No one owns this hobby, and opinions differ. I am simply offering some ideas I learned from older experienced collectors, and if you don't like it; well, (the second word is off)  
    I can discern that this blade is authentic from years of experience handling thousands tools like this one.  I was schooled by older collectors, to examine ancient tools by handling  and "feel"; because most of these blades are HAND HELD TOOLS>; including ovate flint blades,   stemmed blades, and even notched blades.      The notches in some ancient tools were an evolution in ancient blade manufacture, so the user could anchor his finger into the notch for better leverage on the blade. That is why the notches on ancient blades are often polished out from fingers; and most experts probably don't even know that.. These blades have polished out areas from the fingers and hands of ancient man; on the base, in the middle, and toward the tip of the blade.  ITS ALL ABOUT THE POLISH!!  Ancient tools were really the earliest form of engineering, and there is more to these tools than people realize. There is engineering and design behind the manufacture of these early tools, and often they demonstrate observable "use wear". 
    When these blades were used, ancient man flaked out "anchor points" where the fingers laid, and became polished from use. As they were used, the fingers moved back and forth as the blade causing polish, . (Please notice that this entire blade is covered with hand polish).(Notice how the oil for the hands of ancient man and what ever he was butchering, produced a creamy, greasy, grey look to the once snow white Burlington chert). These unmistakable characteristics of an ancient tool are illuminated in the digital photos.      ( some ancient Burlington Chert still looks snow white).  Digital photos can be a very useful in the analysis of these tools, if you know what to look for,   like Matt Dillon says in "Drugstore Cowboy",   'You gotta look for the signs'.
        This blade has been anciently sharpened down contracting toward the base of the blade; between that and the micro serrations, this blade could have been to scale and fillet fish. I'm quite sure that ancient man developed different tools for separate task in the same time periods. This of course would solve an anomaly. Remember that these ancient peoples were dependent on their tools for life itself. Their tools were extremely important to them; maybe that is why we like to collect them.            My goal is to educate people, so they can make their own decisions, and not be held hostage to the problematic habit of having few select people dominate the entire hobby.        A friend of mine who passed away recently, had a very large collection of North American artifacts told me many times during my visits; "The day I have to get a paper on and ancient artifact, is the day I will quit collecting". I learned much about ancient artifacts hanging around in these old guys basements. I think that authentication has its place, and there are a few people that issue respectable  COA's but before you spend money on artifacts, I think it better to have a basic understanding of what your purchasing.           Certain people who think that the run the hobby are acting like the Wizard of oz, as if only they can determine an authentic artifact because they are all knowing; when you pull the curtain away, and you just have an opinion from someone that may not have as much experience as you. Often times they are not the experts that they purport themselves to be.           Not long ago a friend of mine sold fantastic ancient full groove axe. This artifact was huge and authentic. He was asked by a buyer to send it to and "expert" who used a microscope, he blew the call, and messed up the sale. That axe was shown to several advanced collectors from Ohio, and everyone agreed that it was completely 100%authentic.  Again, just a lack of experience, another bad call, another blown sale!                                                                                                  Thanks for viewing my auctions.




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