Axe

1973.2.292

Information

Red breccia axe-head. Compare with a similar breccia axe in the British Museum E32092 dated to the Predynastic Period (Naqada II). On one side is a large Sotheby's auction house sticker from the Rev. William MacGregor sale of 1922. On the other side is a small rectangular sticker with red printed number "3565" which was MacGregor's own collection number. CONDITION NOTE (1998): Chipped, pitted, surface dirt, scratched, labels adhered to surface. Wellcome Historical Medical Museum accession no.17284; Purchased at Sotheby's, London, 26 June-06 July 1922 (MacGregor collection), Lot 1115: "Another [Axe-head] oval in section, 51/2 in long by 3in wide, in dark grey marble, archaic period; also an Axe-head, in red breccia, oblong in section, broadening suddenly towards the cutting edge, 57/8 in long by 31/8 in wide, a rare form".