Recent purchase - I couldnt help myself

[EricTheCat]

Recent purchase - I couldn't help myself

I hope you enjoy these "rock shop finds".

On my way back from up North I stopped by my favorite rock shop and I could not help but acquire this collection. I admit I had mixed feelings about purchasing. I am on the same page as most everybody here, I would rather find my own artifacts. Given my searches have not yielded much though I wanted something to get me through the winter. This gives me something to study and learn from, while I can marvel at the skill that went in to making these. For what it is worth, I have not given up the search.

They had 4 frames like this for sale each with different tools. It was a very hard decision on which one to get. The collections were all labeled: "Archaic" points, Tennessee. I know and trust the owner of the shop but unfortunately he was not there so I was not able to pick his brain on what else he knows about these collections. I feel that these were very fairly priced and fell well in to the category of much less than I would ever sell them for had I found them.

I have some re-arranging to do in the frame as some of the pieces have shifted around. As it will be a delicate task I am saving that task for when I really feel up to it. I will probably photograph some individuals when I do that. If there are any you would like a better view of do let me know.



Thanks for looking.

 

[creekhunter]

Thanks for the close ups, most of those look OK, but a few really seem to lack patina, of course its hard to tell from a photo, get a good magnifier and check them out well!

 

[EricTheCat]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I really do appreciate it. Of course I take no offence, I am always only after the truth.

I was thinking the one in the upper right corner did have some odd coloration along the edges on the reverse (the whole thing has odd coloration but the way the edge looks on the reverse sticks out - 10th pic down on post #15).

The beaver lake looking one (I think, post #17) does seem to show discoloration that I would assume could be from age. Interestingly the camera seems to look right through it but if you look closely on the lower left edge by the corner that is where it is most noticeable (not that it couldn't be faked).

Any tips I look closely with a magnifier? Am I looking for texture to show if it is a relatively fresh break?

If any aren't true it kinda salts the whole mix. I will have to see if I can find anyone local with experience that can look at them. Something tells me that won't be easy so if anyone knows a good resource in MN I would appreciate the lead.

My in-experienced eyes say these ones do not seem to show age and may be the top suspects:
#1 Top left
#2 The one just below and left of the quarter (as mentioned by Twitch)
#4 and #21 The drills at 12 and 6-o-clock
#12 and #13 The 2 points in the center facing each other
#26 The lower right corner point
#7 The upper right corner point (odd discoloration/rework)



Any others you think I should consider top suspects?

A good reason I should be finding my own.

Happy hunting,
Eric

 

[EricTheCat]

Just an update as I look these over at 30x.

#1 I cannot see this at all in even the full res photo but under the magnifier I can see that the top edge has what looks like a fresh break and a few chips along that edge, newer than all the other surface. It looks like minor damage. Starting to feel a little better about #1 I think.

I see very dark green matter in some of the notches (#11 and #12). Under the magnifier it looks like tar, could it be pitch? I wouldn't have expected #12 to need it. Seemed unusual enough that 2 had it in the same area that I thought I should ask.

Also for what it's worth the bottom drill has some dirt/grime in the harder to reach spots.

 

[Rege-PA]

Most modern flint knappers use copper tools to flake their pieces, this sometimes leaves minute traces of copper embedded in the flint, and over time or by acid treatment the copper oxidizes green, perhaps what you are seeing.

 

[Kevin in IN]

I'm no expert at identifing modern reproductions, but having handled both, there is a different feel to a point that has spent hundreds of years in the elements vs fresh flaking. To me the modern points have a feel like very fine sandpaper, where time has smoothed the surface of the anciant points. I really hope yours are all good, but I think you have a mix of old and new. Kevin

 

[joshuaream]

Any others you think I should consider top suspects?

A lot of us can remember when people sold broken points by the gallon, which was actually a lot cheaper than buying fresh knapping rock for many people. You see a lot of pretty frames of rechips in antique stores & pawn shops.

A cheap jewelers loop with an LED light costs about $5 to $10, and you can really learn a lot by studying the frame you already have under magnification. Look at the notches, base, edges tips, and flakes in the middle of a point, compared to something that you've found personally. You'll see some patina changes, but the new areas are usually pretty distinct and are typically multiple chips in a row or in a key area like the tip or a notch. It's not hard to get good enough pretty quickly. Good enough means you might pass on some good points, but you'll avoid most fakes.

1- I actually like the way that point looks, either the knapper was good or it's an old point. (Flaking & notching looks right to me.)
2- I don't like it.
3- I don't like it.
4- I don't like it.
5- Looks good
6- Maybe good
7- Rechip
8- Looks good
9- Maybe good, maybe a rechip.
10- I don't like it
11- Maybe good
12- I don't like it
13- I don't like it
14- Looks good
15- Looks like a rechip on base & notches
16- Maybe good
17- Looks like a rechip
18- I don't like it
19- Looks like a rechip
20- Notching looks odd
21- I don't like it
22- Maybe good
23- I don't like it
24- Looks good
25- Looks good
26- Looks like a rechip