Axe head Identification Help, Please

[WadeK]

Hello, I have a few artifacts from my grandpa that I would like some help identifying and hopefully get some sense of their worth. If that is improper for this forum, by all means ignore that part of the question. I appreciate them, and have a strong interest in paleoanthropology, but truly do not have much interest in these pieces. They just sit in the basement so I really believe they should go to someone that will fully appreciate them.

According to "family lore" his arrowhead collection was plowed up finds from the family farm in Northern Illinois and his parents were the second white owners of that property. Two of these axe heads obviously didn't come from there, so they really don't give me a land/family connection that they would otherwise.

This one is about 5-1/2" long and 3/4 grooved. More flat and broad on the non-grooved side (top or bottom?) than the head below. No idea where it came from.


This one is also 3/4 grooved and about 6-1/8" long. Writing says New Mexico, I have no idea where it really came from.


This one is about 5-3/4" long, 3/4 grooved, and appears to me to be from a different era or at least a very different design. "Lake Wallenpaupack, PA" written on it, again no idea if that's really where it came from.


These knife or spear points are 9-1/2" and 5-3/4" long. I was told they were replicas and worth very little. I've seen video of knapping (do I have that right?) being done and I don't care if they're 60 years old or 6,000 years old - someone put a lot of skill and work into these.


Any information would be appreciated, and if anyone wants to see more pictures or get more details, just let me know.

Thanks very much, Wade

 

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[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard Wade! Take a look at Forum: Illinois for information (i.e., clubs, etc.) directly related to your state.

2nd - While you are waiting - I pulled this from other TN thread...

Hammer (Better Pics) (Feb 20, 2008)
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[newnan man]

Welcome, the axes look nice. Personally if they belonged to my grandfather I would keep them.

 

[Force_of_Iron]

My slightly educated opinion
The bottom pic is likely a fake. I have one almost exactly like it. Same curve and all. Actually, I'm going to go check my garage and make sure my son didn't sell it after I send this.

The lost Lakes point above could be real. After all who makes a fake w a break. A way to be more sure though would be to look at the break point, if its an old point with a recent break the toning will be different, likely real. If the toning is the same and somewhat bright it is likely a fake. The same dull toning at both surfaces, possibly real with an old break.

Axes are really out of favor right now. Those wouldn't likely be worth a lot. Put them in a good auction if you don't want them or keep them to give to someone in the next generation that may like them more than you. If you don't need the money I would just put them away in a box somewhere

 

[Sunny Side]

My slightly educated opinion
The bottom pic is likely a fake. I have one almost exactly like it. Same curve and all. Actually, I'm going to go check my garage and make sure my son didn't sell it after I send this.

The lost Lakes point above could be real. After all who makes a fake w a break. A way to be more sure though would be to look at the break point, if its an old point with a recent break the toning will be different, likely real. If the toning is the same and somewhat bright it is likely a fake. The same dull toning at both surfaces, possibly real with an old break.

Axes are really out of favor right now. Those wouldn't likely be worth a lot. Put them in a good auction if you don't want them or keep them to give to someone in the next generation that may like them more than you. If you don't need the money I would just put them away in a box somewhere

I believe just the opposite. Axes, celts etc.. are enjoying healthy value and profitable returns. It is not uncommon for extraordinary examples of grooved axes to reach 5 figures anymore. I couldn’t believe the what some of the the better hardstone axes were fetching at a fairly recent auction.

Fake axes are much easier to detect than most other categories of collecting in this field and good collectors know this. Replicators have never been able to get them right, even the good ones. Collectors also know that good axes are hard to come by anymore.

 

[dognose]

I think the axes are potentially authentic, and while not crazy valuable, have value. There are a number of collectors who strictly collect hard stone - axes, celts and the like.

I could not say the flint relics are authentic. I don't agree with Force_of_Iron that a very nicely made flint with a break could be authentic. People who make reproductions with the intent to pass them off as authentic will and can do just about anything, including adding a break to a relic - if it will potentially increase the probability of passing it off as authentic.

With that said, in my opinion its virtually impossible to determine authenticity from a photo. One must visually review a relic live and in person to have a good idea of authenticity. Even then there could be difference of opinion among collectors.

Just yesterday I was looking at an elderly gentleman's collection with a good friend and while we agreed almost 100% on all the relics there was one i thought looked good yet he thought had been rubbed with coal tar and another substance to give the appearance of mineralization.

 

[Force_of_Iron]

I'm glad everyone disagrees with me. I've got a 100% streak going so far....

To be fair though I did say could be real and gave some indicators about some novice ways to tell.

Has anyone seen many four fiqure axes come out of undocumented collections lately?

 

[Rookster]

Very nice

 

[WadeK]

Hi everyone,
Thanks very much for the replies and the welcome. I'm about 95% positive the point with the break was broken due to poor packing, I can almost remember it happening and that edge is sharper than the rest. If it turns out to be real, that would be a great bonus for someone but I'm going to represent those two points as repros.

So where are these auctions that get 4 figures for axes? All of a sudden my local gov't thinks they need a pile of my money more than I do.

 

[Force_of_Iron]

Hi everyone,
Thanks very much for the replies and the welcome. I'm about 95% positive the point with the break was broken due to poor packing, I can almost remember it happening and that edge is sharper than the rest. If it turns out to be real, that would be a great bonus for someone but I'm going to represent those two points as repros.

So where are these auctions that get 4 figures for axes? All of a sudden my local gov't thinks they need a pile of my money more than I do.

Yes, near you Cowans in Ohio have had some good sales but these are not likely to make the cut except as a group. You can email and ask though. No harm in that. These are likely will bring around 500 apiece give or take. Since you say that the point has a recent break. If its real and old there will be an obvious change in tone through middle of the stone compared to the edges. If that is the case its real. If you saved the piece reattach it.