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Flint Jack

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Flint Jack Empty Flint Jack

Post by grendel Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:11 am

Just read this excellent blog entry on Britain's first modern knapper...................

http://whitbypopwatch.blogspot.com/2011/09/flint-jack-prince-of-counterfeiters.html

I seen this a few times and always found it rather unconvincing, I wonder if this is an example of the quality of his forgeries, how museums got taken in.

Flint Jack Jack%252520flint%2525202

I've read a couple of Victorian accounts of stone objects and they mention that the manufacture process back then was a complete mystery. So I guess anything remotely knapped would be considered authentic.
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by Lumpendoodle Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:27 am

That is very a coarse flint. I have seen a better knapped flint (but not that much better) that was meant to be one of his. Can't remember where though....

I suppose if he could get away with that standard, why put more effort into knapping.Very Happy
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by grendel Sat Nov 17, 2012 2:31 am

I've always thought he must have done some better quality work, that example above is so crude I wonder how it fooled people even back then.

This museum has put a far superior example of his work on display.

http://ancientworldsmanchester.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/flint-jack/

A much better effort, but he seems to have used exactly the same method of knapping as with the one above. He also seems to have added a fake patina. Pity the picture is so grainy I can't tell whether the concave appearance it has in the centre is just that an appearance, real and natural or real and man made, I even tried viewing it in 3D, but no help.
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by Lumpendoodle Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:25 am

It is very hard to tell, but it does seem that he only did as much knapping as he needed.

It does appear to be concave, but does appear to be possibly more by luck than judgement.
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by grendel Thu Nov 06, 2014 12:16 pm

Some more 19th century fakes in a Scottish Museum. Interesting flake scars, I wonder what tool they were using?

http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/collections/people/key-people/collectors-explorers/the-selby-antiquarian-collection/victorian-fake-flint-arrowheads.aspx

Flint Jack ImageGen.ashx?image=%2fmedia%2f11006%2f4674
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by mr.hertzian cone Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:57 pm

The Flint jack barbed and tanged arrowhead is just knapped from a banana flake and he's just chipped around the edges with no attempt to knap the piece flat. He used a bent piece of thickish steel wire to do the fine flakes and hit the flint directly with this crude tool. No pressure flaking here!
God knows why Musuems at the time where fooled by his work and he was eventually mocked for his forgeries and then revered for his "skill"..Urf!
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by grendel Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:39 am

It is amazing how poor all the examples of his work are. I believe there are examples or at least pictures of John Evans work, which would predate Jack's. I wonder how they would compare?

Here's some 1889 attempts by Brandon knappers, they appear to be very similar in methodology.

Flint Jack Untitl10



This guy wasn't from Brandon but nearby, he's pretty amazing, but as to when he actually did the work, dates are ambiguous.

there's a post here about him
https://uk-knapping.forumotion.co.uk/t309-early-knappers

Flint Jack Tumblr_mt2a2rNYSg1sueqlso1_1280
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by the barnacle Sat Nov 08, 2014 11:18 am

i like the look of the polished axes - looks a bit like my knapping lol with the small flakes, i think alot is down to the quality of the flint, i often watch the USA Knappers and think like sending a lump of my flint to see if they can then knap Smile
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by grendel Sun Nov 09, 2014 2:31 pm

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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by the barnacle Mon Nov 10, 2014 3:11 pm

that is a nice bit of knapping - the flint has a nice ring to it as he moves it around - not like the thud mine makes.
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Flint Jack Empty Re: Flint Jack

Post by mr.hertzian cone Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:42 pm

That looks like the better stuff I get from the beaches. Aww bless, it was harder than he's used to! Laughing
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