PAGE 2 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
A PREHISTORIC

ETLEY POINT, FRANKE COLLECTION, 7.5 INCHES
ARTIFACT AUCTION
THE FRANKE COLLECTION
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
PAGE 2 OF 3 PAGES
COPYRIGHT JULY 31, 2005 PETER A. BOSTROM
Ramey knife from the Franke collection.
RAMEY KNIFE
FULTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS
FRANKE COLLECTION

    This picture shows one of three Kaolin chert Ramey knives that were sold in the Franke Auction. Most Ramey knives are made of Mill Creek chert from a source in southern Illinois.

    The Franke collection consisted mostly of flaked and ground stone artifacts with only a couple exceptions of two bone awls and a bone arrow point plus one ceramic pot. A large percentage of the artifacts had no provenance (where they were found). But it is obvious that the majority of the artifacts in the collection probably came from Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri.

Frame of artifacts at the Franke auction.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE

NOTCHED HOES, AXES & POINTS
FRANKE COLLECTION
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

     This picture shows several Mississippian culture notched hoes that were in the Franke collection. All but two of them were made of Mill Creek chert from southern Illinois. The other two notched hoes were made of Kaolin chert. The Kaolin examples are located at bottom right and at left center.
    The colorful red striped basal notched Smith point at top right is made of Arkansas Novaculite.

    The Franke collection contained a few singular one-of-a-kind artifacts. There were many very good examples of various types of Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian artifacts, in the form of axes, discoidals, knives and projectile points. But a few of them stand out as particularly unique. One is a rectangular shaped Mississippian bird effigy "Mound Builder" pipe that was probably collected on a site in the area around Cahokia Mounds. (see picture). Another would be the large  18 1/2 inch (47 cm) long "Mississippian Sword" that is one of the longest flaked stone artifacts from this area (see picture). The large 10 pound hematite indented "Pocket" ax is also unique (see picture). Another rare item in the collection was a very well made double- notched serrated Cahokia point made of bone (see picture).

Frame of artifacts at the Franke auction.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE

AXES, DISCOIDALS & POINTS
FRANKE COLLECTION
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

    The most significant artifact in this picture is the large indented "Pocket" ax located at top left. It received the most bids on the auction block and sold for the most money. It is unique for the large piece of hematite (10 pounds) it was made from and its rare form. Seven Discoidals can also be seen in this picture. Most of the flaked stone artifacts are knives and belong to the Archaic culture. One Woodland culture stemmed Dickson point can be seen at right center.

    Some of the artifacts in the Franke collection were illustrated in at least four different publications. One Kaolin Ramey knife was illustrated in 1938 in "The Cahokia Mound Group" on page 27. Three indented  "pocket" three-quarter grooved axes, including the large Hematite specimen, are illustrated on page 134 in the 1956 issue of "The Central States Archaeological Journal." Eight Early Archaic knives are pictured in 1958 in "The Central States Archaeological Journal" on pages 116, 118 & 119. Six of them are St. Charles "Dovetail" points. The other two are a Hardin Barbed point and a very large and wide corner notched knife. One hundred and six stone and hematite artifacts from the Franke collection appear in 1953 in "Prehistoric Art" on pages 36-43. 

Frame of artifacts at the Franke auction.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
AXES, DISCOIDALS & POINTS
FRANKE COLLECTION
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

      This picture shows many different flaked and ground stone  artifacts that were in the Franke collection. The most significant is the 18 1/2 inch (47 cm) long  "Mississippian Sword" at bottom center.

    The majority of the artifacts in the Franke collection were probably found in cultivated fields or creek beds. In fact, many of the artifacts were probably discovered behind horse drawn plows, early in the twentieth century, as new fields were being plowed. Some of the items, like a Mississippian water bottle and some of the larger flaked stone artifacts like an 18 1/2 inch (47 cm) long "Mississippian Sword" may have come from graves.

Frame of artifacts at the Franke auction.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
SPADES, MORSE KNIVES, ETLEY'S, LIZARD EFFIGY AND VARIOUS POINT TYPES
FRANKE COLLECTION
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

      Five large Late Archaic Etley points can be seen in this picture. They are located at the left side. They are large corner-notched points with stems. A good example of a lizard effigy can also be seen at the bottom center. The largest three oval shaped artifacts are spades made of Mill Creek chert. A Morse Knife can also be seen at lower left.

    The Franke collection did not contain many Paleo related artifacts. One small Clovis point and approximately eight Agate Basin points were sold in the auction. There was a Cumberland type point pictured in 1953 in "Prehistoric Art" that is attributed to the Franke collection but it did not appear in the auction.

CONTINUE ON TO PAGE THREE

"REFERENCES"

1938, Titterington, P.F., "The Cahokia Mounds Group," p. 27.
1953
, Grimm, R.E., "Prehistoric Art," pp. 36-43.
1956
, Hannant, Owen, "Neolithic Grooved Axes of the North American Indian," Central States Archaeological Journal, p. 134.
1958
, Franke, Harry, "Central States Archaeological Journal," pp. 116, 118 & 119.
2005
, Darr, Kevin, "Auction Showcases Extra Large Collection," Monroe County Clarion.
2005, Pawlaczyk, George, "Prehistoric Indian Artifacts Bring In $200,000 At Auction," Bellville News Democrat.
Personal communications with Brad Koldehoff.

RECENT LISTINGS HOME    ORDERING