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Journal of Antiques and Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to present: Asheford Institute of Antiques

APPRAISERS CORNER Certified Appraisal Training
www.asheford.com

with David L Moore CPAA, Certified Professional Antiques Appraiser A Commitment to Excellence Since 1966

An appraisal conducted for the purpose of entertainment: October, 2022 To answer your question about the artifacts that are
pink/red and orange; It is my opinion that the orange and
Mr. Moore – white chert artifacts like the artifacts in the center of the
I have thirty-three arrowheads in an 18 x 24-inch frame that my father frame are knapped from Kaolin and Mill Creek Chert
collected and placed over a 20-year period. He found them on private farm- found in Illinois. The two large spades in the center are the
land with permission to hunt from the landowners. He never dug up anything primary focus and would make good centerpieces in any
– if the artifact was not found on the surface, he did not collect it. He did keep upper-end collection. The pink/red chert knife in the
a logbook of his finds, but it cannot be located. I plan to keep and display them far-left corner of the frame is heat-treated Burlington
as they were all found, except for the dart-type point on the center bottom right. Chert. Burlington Chert is a whitish color chert that turns
These were taken in the Lake, Porter, and Jasper Counties in Indiana, and pink/red when heat treated. Heat treating was done by
in Iroquois County in Illinois. The exception point was traded for, and it was prehistoric people because it made the stone more brittle
found in Scott County Missouri. Can you help me with a few questions I have and easier to knap into a needed tool or weapon.
about them?
1. I have seen many reproduction arrowheads. Are these real?
2. If they are genuine prehistoric artifacts, how can you tell?
3. What are they worth as a group?
4. What are the orange and red colors on the arrowheads?
Thank you for any help you can give.
N.A.M.
First of all, thank you for bringing these artifacts out for me to see and
evaluate. What an extraordinary grouping. To think that each one of
these was found in the open air after a thousand or thousands of years Kaolin Chert Heat treated Burlington chert
underground. Again, I say that it is extraordinary to see this many large
spades, arrowheads, knives, and scrapers in one frame. The largest artifact is the narrow-tapered spade at the top center which
Your father did the right thing is approximately 7 inches in length, and the bottom center wide, tapered
in asking permission from the spade that is 6 1/4 inches in length. This gives a comparison size for the
landowners before he hunted. grouping without having to measure each individual artifact. Many of the
Another thing he did right was not Kaolin chert artifacts, if not all, could have been part of a cache of
to dig for artifacts as there are blades that were found all in one field. To explain it simply; sometimes
Federal and State laws prohibiting prehistoric flintknappers would make a grouping of leaf blades and tools
this type of artifact collecting. that could be placed together and put away as a cache
People who do this kind of illegal to be used or made into different flint or chert tools. It
activity are hurtful to the artifact- is a shame that you cannot find your father’s logbook.
collecting hobby. It is wise to It would be interesting to see where these artifacts
always ask permission before you were found.
surface hunt for arrowheads and always know the federal and State laws It is my opinion that if
regarding artifact collecting in your area. these artifacts were offered
I have inspected every arrowhead, spade, for sale at the national show
and scraper in this frame and am glad to let you such as the Central States
know that it is my opinion that all are genuine Archaeological Society
prehistoric manufactured arti- meeting in Collinsville
facts. I can tell they are genuine Illinois, or at a highly
by my 60 years of experience in publicized auction I would
the field of North American expect to pay $5,500.00+
Artifacts and the way they are for the entire group with
chipped or flaked. I also look for any history of when
patina and mineralization and Arrowhead found in Scott and where your father
County Missouri.
each piece display both. I look found them. Left: Kaolin Chert spade, bottom center of display
for any modern re-chipping and none of them display any I am very glad that you Right: Mill Creek Chert spade, Top center of display
modern chipping or modern tool work of any kind. are keeping them. Both artifacts are museum-quality spades.
It is important to remember that all genuine artifacts Insure them, lock the case, mount them on the wall, and enjoy them!
will have some sign of their age in patina or clumps of David L Moore CPAA
mineralization. It is wise to always keep at least a 15-power Certified Professional Antiques Appraiser
magnifying glass with you when purchasing artifacts. If an
artifact does not have both patina and some mineralization, David Moore is part of the school’s “Ask The Experts”
I do not purchase it! I have also used a blacklight and appraising team, and is an honors graduate and “Certified”
inspected each artifact thoroughly to detect any restoration Asheford Institute of Antiques Appraiser. Moore owns
and there is no restoration on any of the pieces in the frame. Waterman’s Antiques, was President of the Indiana
Blacklights do not detect all restoration materials but do Archaeo logical Society, and is a published author, with over
detect some. 50 years of experience in the research and study of antiques
and collectibles.

Journal of Antiques & Collectibles and Asheford Institute of Antiques have teamed up to provide our readers with professional appraisers to help you learn more
about and value your finds. We welcome your questions and photos. Send your information to editorial@journalofantiques.com or mail to Journal of Antiques &
Collectibles, PO Box 950, Sturbridge, MA 01566 attn: Appraisers Corner. To learn more about becoming a “certified” antiques appraiser, visit www.asheford.com.

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