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  • 1.  Help with identification?

    Posted 01-05-2022 12:45 PM
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    Hi all,

    Recently I was approached by a friend who asked if I could help identify something he purchased at an antique store a number of years ago.  Although I work in a museum, this is about as far away from my specialty as can be imagined.  But he figured since I was a museum guy, I would know this stuff.  Fortunately, maybe there's someone out there in the etherworld who does.   Not seeking any monetary appraisal, just an idea if this could be what it was purported to be by the antique dealer.  I've attached a scan of the arrowhead and the typed description that came with it from the dealer.

    For scale, it is about 1 3/4" long.  The tip is bent back, so it was probably 1 7/8" long originally.

    Any ideas?  Truth?  Or is this bogus?

    Thanks.

    Clay

    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    Arrowhead (Greek or bogus).pdf   271 KB 1 version
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: Help with identification?

    Posted 01-10-2022 08:19 AM
    Object Identification can be tricky from a legal perspective, even if done informally.
    Too many people expect Antiques Roadshow style observations or detailed analysis.

    The Penn Museum limits its Object Identification information to "what an object might be and where it might come from culturally."
    We never put anything in writing and if we do, it is couched in vague terms - "in the style of".
    We work with the legal owner and photographs.  We never review the objects in person.
    And give a lot of referrals to appraisers / dealers these days.

    As for Arrowheads - they are just plain difficult. 
    For the most part, they are generic in form and material.
    And I've seen way too many rocks that are NOT arrowheads, which people dug out their gardens or picked up on a hike on the beach, woods, wherever.
    Oh, and they actually teach flint knapping in experimental archaeology and in the boy scouts.
    So, you really need to have a geographic locality as a starting point to begin.

    I chaired a MAAM session on Object Identification ages ago, so I would love to hear if anyone out there is still providing this service.


    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar Records
    Penn Museum
    T: 215-898-4088



    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


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