Neolithic Tuffiet Java Axe - 70 mm (No reserve price)
08
days
16
hours
48
minutes
36
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Ruth Garrido Vila
Directed the Ifergan Collection Museum, specialising in Phoenician and Mediterranean archaeology.
Estimate € 200 - € 250
No bids placed
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 135253 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Rare Neolithic Java trapezoid axe dating to about 2000–1000 BC, made of fossilised tuffite, 70 mm long by 40–45 mm wide, 70 g, from West Java, grouped in the Dr. C.J.H. Franssen collection with an original label, acquired in 2026 from a Dutch private collection, in very good condition and not supplied with a display stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Rare Neolithic Adze/Axe from Java (1935) – Fossilized Tuffite – Dr. Franssen Collection
Description:
A unique archaeological centerpiece for the serious collector! A beautiful Neolithic adze/axe from West Java, Indonesia. This object is fully documented, 100% authentic, and equipped with an original old paper collection label on the back.
Age / Dating:
This artifact dates from the late Stone Age (Neolithic of Southeast Asia) and is estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 years old (ca. 2000 – 1000 BCE).
Material & Rock Type: The axe is crafted from high-quality fossilized tuffite / volcanic tuff (or fine-grained fossilized claystone). Very characteristic for this piece is the beautiful, light ground patina (white-beige and sandy weathering layer) that has formed from centuries of burial in the specific volcanic soil of West Java. The deeper, original dark structure is still lightly visible at the edges and underside.
Provenance & History (see label):
Collected by: Dr. C.J.H. Franssen (a well-known Dutch researcher in former Dutch East Indies).
Location: Buitenzorg (the current Bogor), West Java.
Year of discovery/cataloging: 1935.
Inventory: Original handwritten number 2970/368 bottom left on the stone.
Dimensions & Details:
Length: 70 mm
Width: 40 - 45 mm (elegantly tapering toward the cutting edge)
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight: 70 g
Condition: Excellently preserved authentic form with sharp polishing traces.
This slender, trapezoidal model is a textbook example of the well-known Javanese square adze culture. Due to its light weight and thinness, it was presumably a status or exchange item, or used for very fine woodwork.
Delivered exclusive of the shown plexiglass stand.
PLEASE NOTE: Shipping is only within the European Union (EU). We do not ship to Switzerland, the United Kingdom (England), or other non-EU countries due to customs and export restrictions on antiquities.
Rare Neolithic Adze/Axe from Java (1935) – Fossilized Tuffite – Dr. Franssen Collection
Description:
A unique archaeological centerpiece for the serious collector! A beautiful Neolithic adze/axe from West Java, Indonesia. This object is fully documented, 100% authentic, and equipped with an original old paper collection label on the back.
Age / Dating:
This artifact dates from the late Stone Age (Neolithic of Southeast Asia) and is estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 years old (ca. 2000 – 1000 BCE).
Material & Rock Type: The axe is crafted from high-quality fossilized tuffite / volcanic tuff (or fine-grained fossilized claystone). Very characteristic for this piece is the beautiful, light ground patina (white-beige and sandy weathering layer) that has formed from centuries of burial in the specific volcanic soil of West Java. The deeper, original dark structure is still lightly visible at the edges and underside.
Provenance & History (see label):
Collected by: Dr. C.J.H. Franssen (a well-known Dutch researcher in former Dutch East Indies).
Location: Buitenzorg (the current Bogor), West Java.
Year of discovery/cataloging: 1935.
Inventory: Original handwritten number 2970/368 bottom left on the stone.
Dimensions & Details:
Length: 70 mm
Width: 40 - 45 mm (elegantly tapering toward the cutting edge)
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight: 70 g
Condition: Excellently preserved authentic form with sharp polishing traces.
This slender, trapezoidal model is a textbook example of the well-known Javanese square adze culture. Due to its light weight and thinness, it was presumably a status or exchange item, or used for very fine woodwork.
Delivered exclusive of the shown plexiglass stand.
PLEASE NOTE: Shipping is only within the European Union (EU). We do not ship to Switzerland, the United Kingdom (England), or other non-EU countries due to customs and export restrictions on antiquities.
Details
Era
Before 1400
Culture
Neolithic
Country of origin
Indonesia
Century/timeframe
2000 - 1000 BC
Material
Tuffiet Java
Acquired from
Inherited
Condition
Very good
Year acquired
2026
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Ethnic group/culture
Neolithic
Previous owner acquired from
Private collection
Height
70 mm
Width
45 mm
Sold with stand
No
Previous owner - year acquired
1993
Depth
10 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Overall Length
70 mm
Military Context
No
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
