Description (Labels & Markings)
Handwritten label affixed to object reads: 'ARC 1975 1L' and in a later hand 'No Prov.'
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Other)
The catalogue card, written in Cyril Fox's hand, notes: 'Probably British'. A later hand adds '?Bristol', but it is currently unclear who wrote this or on what basis. Therefore this information is tentative in the place field.
Event Date
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card: 'One polished celt of a greenish colour with rounded edges.'
Event Date 1922
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Other)
Previously on loan to National Maritime Museum, loan number ARC 1975-1L. Returned 24 April 1982. (see MM1/7/9)
Event Date 24/4/1982
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
Ground stone axe of greenish colour with rounded cutting edge
Event Date 1/7/1991
Author: maa

Context (Other owners)
In 1899 Cole Ambrose purchased Marshall Fisher's collection, which had constituted the Ely Museum from 1842 until Fisher's death in January 1899, which joined his collection at Stuntney Hall until his own death. In 1922 a selection of material from Ambrose's collection were purchased by MAA (see Doc.473), including some from Marshall Fisher's Ely Museum. However, any documentation accompanying the Fisher objects to Stutney Hall were missing by 1922, so ascertaining which of the Cole Ambrose Collection were originally collected by Fisher, and displayed in the Ely Museum, is difficult. (see Holeman, N. (1992). 'A Different Kind of Cambridge Antiquarian: Marshall Fisher and his Ely Museum'. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, 79. pp. 82-92). Several polished stone axes owned by Fisher are mentioned in Evans' Ancient Stone Implements (1872): 'Greenstone celts of about this size, and with the sides more or less flat... are of not uncommon occurrence in the Fen country. Mr. Fisher, of Ely, has one, found near Manea, and several from Bottisham' (p. 116). If any of these axes were amongst Fisher's collection that was purchased by Ambrose, and then part of the selection of material made by MAA to join the collection in 1922, then the most likely candidates are 1922.884.1 and 1922.884.2 which both have flat sides and could be described as of greenstone; 1922.883 is also possible, being made of greenstone, but has rounded edges.
Event Date 19/7/2019
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)