Slate Gorget Authenticity

[OntarioArch]

Using just a magnifying glass, I do not see any 'machine marks' like from a file, sandpaper, Dremel, or industrial grinding wheel.
The holes look like they were started wide, then taper narrower as the depth increased....and holes are drilled in from both sides.
I do not see any circular machine marks like a steel drill bit would leave inside the holes;
The drilled holes from each side do not line up perfectly - close, but they are offset a bit.
Both artifacts, but especially the Curvy One, exhibit tapering of the thickness from one end to the other. Curvey One actually bows to a significant extent.

Patina? I have no idea what patina on a slate gorget should look like vs. a modern reproduction.

I hope they are authentic, but more importantly I want to learn how to determine authenticity of slate gorgets and if these are indeed not authentic....I want to know!

Purchased at an estate sale in upstate New York. No provenance. Thanks for the help!

 

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[southfork]

How does someone produce tapered holes through slate with no 'machine marks' showing? What would be most helpful is a magnified/close-up pic of a 'correct', tapered, 'stone drilled' hole. Can't say that I have ever seen one....

This is mariposa slate N. California showing drilling with stone reed drilling produces a smooth stepped hole .

 

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[OntarioArch]

Here are some pics from KetArtifacts (a well organized, fairly priced online store with great pics, btw) of a winged bannerstone broken right down the center hole, which also has a drilled hole like a gorget would have. That center hole sure looks cylindrical - not tapered - to me. The site's description says this piece exhibits both 'conical drilled hole ' and 'reed drilled hole.' I have also come across the phrase 'stone drilled hole.'
First 3 pics are of the center, cylindrical hole; 4th pic of the tapered hole.


So 'stone drilled' = 'conical drilled' and utilized a chert drill, resulting in a conical hole
While 'reed drilled' utilized a reed & sand, resulting in cylindrical hole (with a core also possibly being produced)
Is this correct? thanks!

 

[Indian Steve]

The reed and sand method does make a cylindrical hole like the center of your piece but it is extremely time and labor intensive. You could drill dozens of tapered holes {stone drill} in the time it would take to drill one hole with reed and sand. Reed and sand was used mainly on longer holes in very hard material.

 

[southfork]

Here are some pics from KetArtifacts (a well organized, fairly priced online store with great pics, btw) of a winged bannerstone broken right down the center hole, which also has a drilled hole like a gorget would have. That center hole sure looks cylindrical - not tapered - to me. The site's description says this piece exhibits both 'conical drilled hole ' and 'reed drilled hole.' I have also come across the phrase 'stone drilled hole.'
First 3 pics are of the center, cylindrical hole; 4th pic of the tapered hole.


So 'stone drilled' = 'conical drilled' and utilized a chert drill, resulting in a conical hole
While 'reed drilled' utilized a reed & sand, resulting in cylindrical hole (with a core also possibly being produced)
Is this correct? thanks!
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Those photos look like reed drilling to me . A pump drill or bow drill was another method of drilling used on hard material like shell .

 

[monsterrack]

Dognoise is on the money with his points. I would keep them for study pieces, that way they don't go back into the artifact market. If you used PayPal I believe you have a 130 day buyer protection. In my opinion they both reproductions. Who ever made them did it for a fast buck because a good artifaker would never leave tool marks on shale(it's a soft material). You don't need lapidary tools to get the look right. I could write a post on how things like this is made,but I don't want to give anyone ideas. You can fool the eye, small scopes,but a 100 power scope most artifakers won't go that far.

 

[OntarioArch]

I would keep them for study pieces, that way they don't go back into the artifact market.

Will do.....good advice. A cheap lesson.

 

[monsterrack]

Here are some photos of a slate/stone piece that you don't need a eye piece of any kind to see that it is right.

 

[joshuaream]

Lots of good discussion here about holes, polish, etc.

On the two original pieces that started this post, I think the first red flag is the actual form. In the Midwest and Great Lakes region most slate/hardstone relics follow well described patterns. There are eccentrics and oddball pieces, but they are exceedingly rare. For almost any single artifact, you should be able to find very similar documented pieces.

The spacing of the holes on the rectangular gorget is off, the holes are too far out to the edge. I'm sure some exist with that type of spacing, but it isn't common. You see that more commonly on elliptical/oval gorgets, on some keeled or thick gorgets, and slate bar weights that are drilled through vs at angles like birdstones.

The other pendant form just isn't a common one. Unless it's salvaged, I can't think of a known style of pendant that is wider than it is long. There are some different styles from other areas that can be wider than long, but the materials are usually different. (Claystone, quartz, and shell would be more common.)

Edit to add something: Even if you don't buy relics commonly, liveauctioneers.com is a great resource. Sign up and you can see hundreds of examples of almost any type of artifact. Sort by price and you'll see expensive ones. Price isn't a good indicator of authentic relics, but lots of old, documented examples from well known collections will be at the top and you can quickly scroll through and see lots of examples. It's far and away better than any price guide out there and it usually has better pictures from multiple angles. (Again, I'm not claiming authenticity on anything, but an old Meuser piece that has been pictured a dozen times since the 1920's is likely a better reference than something someone paid to have published in a price guide.)

 

[OntarioArch]

joshuaream - thanks for the tip. Yep, liveauctioneers.com is awesome. The gorgets there sure vary a lot in form....hole spacing....patina.....and price - holycow! I appreciate the help on this one.

 

[uniface]

I don't see any slate artifacts there, Uni., just chert.

Slate's on page three.