Auction Highlights
-
Egyptian Black-Topped Jar Collection
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,620
A group of three black-topped pottery vessels of varied size; the larger ovoid jar with everted rim, the smaller neckless vessels with slightly thickened rims; provided with a custom-made display stand and carry case. -
Egyptian Turquoise-Glazed Hippopotamus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £36,576
A faience hippopotamus figurine, the turquoise-glazed plump body adorned by painted black design representing Nilotic plants and hunting nets arranged in an X-motif across the back, a lotus flower emanating from the short 'v' shaped tail, the motifs reflecting the creatures' habitat; a lotus flower to the head flanked by small pricked ears outlined in black, the left eye painted in black with a large pupil; accompanied by a custom-made collector's box. -
Large Egyptian Alabaster Overseer Shabti
Sold for (Inc. bp): £24,130
A large carved alabaster overseer (rais) shabti wearing a duplex wig 'perruque à revers', normally associated with the dress of the living, an ornamental collar, ousehk, visible between the lappets of the wig, the face broad and reminiscent of a funerary mask with delicate cosmetic lines; holding a crook and flail in his hands, each painted in black pigment; wearing a long layered kilt and a pleated apron with a painted hieroglyphic text tentatively identified as 'sHD wsir / wrwy / Dd.f' (on the instructions of Osiris / Werwy (personal name) / says), remains of feet visible beneath the kilt; the overseer's belt, wig and shirt pleats continued in black pigment on the reverse of the figure with surviving red pigmentation to the obverse; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Greek Marble Head of Aphrodite
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,350
A carved marble frieze fragment depicting the head of Aphrodite or a muse modelled in the half-round with detailed locks, multi-strand band (sphendone) to the brow and securing cap to the rear holding the chignon; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Large Roman Statuette of Goddess Venus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,218
A substantial bronze figure of Venus Anadyomene (Venus rising from the sea), standing nude, holding one of her braids with her right hand, the raised arm possibly originally held a mirror, curly hair gathered in a chignon at the nape of her neck. -
Large Roman Silver-Gilt Skyphos
Sold for (Inc. bp): £16,510
A two-handled cup with the body raised from a single sheet of silver resting on a flared foot, the thickened rim decorated with a gilt band of ovules with another gilt decorative band of geometric motifs beneath; two rounded handles with thumb-pads, each with a magnificent interlace foliage beneath. -
Roman Sandstone Bust of a Philosopher
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,890
An over life-size composition head of a frowning elderly male with a thick beard; broad facial features with large nose, sunken eyes beneath prominent eyebrow arches, mouth slightly open and surrounded by thick moustache, the long beard made up of curly tufts; the curly hair covered with a hat or a cap formed of knotted bands (strophion) with voluminous strands falling over the ears to the back of the neck; the smoothed part of the herm, hidden by the hairs of the beard directed towards the centre of the head, creating a chiaroscuro effect; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Roman Gold Pendant with Bust of Athena Parthenos Gemstone
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,350
A red jasper gemstone with a gold mount, depicting the bust of goddess Athena Parthenos (Greek Minerva), wearing the Pseudo-Attic three-crested helmet of Athena Promachos, aegis upon her breast. -
Large Proto-Achaemenid Silver Phiale Mesomphalos
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,001
A large sheet-silver phiale with squat D-section wall and everted rim, decorated using repoussé technique, with an outer circle of lotus petals and inner circle of petals and buds joined by swag-like vines, central flower within a roundel. -
Migration Period Sword with Jewelled Hilt and Scabbard Elements
Sold for (Inc. bp): £17,780
An Eastern-Roman double-edged sword with parallel-sided blade and broad pointed tip, battle nicks to both cutting edges, the rhomboidal lower guard with a chip-carved gilt iron plate to the frontal face, divided into sections with spiralling garnet cloisons and the forming panels filled with geometric interlace of garnet and gold ornaments; the exceptionally well preserved wooden hilt ornamented with four gold sleeves, each ornamented with concentric circles; the pommel comprising a flattened agate disc, fastened with an iron nail set with garnet cloisons forming a flower; accompanied by silver elements from the scabbard, two with eagle protomes. -
Stone Age Upper Palaeolithic 'Venus' Idol
Sold for (Inc. bp): £114,300
A stone statuette of a piriform female figure with narrow shoulders and ample teardrop-shaped breasts, hands carved in low-relief descending in arches over the massive rounded belly and large buttocks, short thighs bordering an elongated pubic triangle, lightly sketched knees, the head proportional to the body, no facial features but with an indefinite type of coiffure. -
Large Viking Age Volga-Bulgar Gilt Silver Plate with Horse and Riders
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,890
A large sheet-silver platter with rolled edge and scalloped border to the bowl; rim with three panels of dense niello-filled scrollwork and three roundels each with a gilt quatrefoil; repoussé fluted border with raised knop at the apex of each scallop; central motif of a horseman advancing with horn in his raised hand, gilded with niello outline and incised linear detailing, within a heavy guilloche border with gilded outer ring; enclosing band of heavy niello ornament, a parcel-gilt frieze comprising two horn-bearing riders, two opposed lions, two opposed panthers(?), a goose (or swan?) attacked by a bird of prey, a bowman with recurved bow in one hand and quiver slung horizontally at his waist, a bear advancing towards him. -
Scandinavian Viking Gilt Borre Style Trefoil Brooch with Animal Masks
Sold for (Inc. bp): £35,560
A superb gilt-bronze trefoil brooch with alternating hatched and plain segments to the rim, dense inner pattern of chip-carved Borre Style scrolls and whorls with hatched blocks at the nodes; central triskele with knotwork detail, each arm terminating in a facing mask with pellet eyes and banded headdress; reverse with catch on one arm and pin absent, pin-lugs on another and loop on the third for attachment of a swag of beads, chatelaine, knife or other item. -
'The Sutton' Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Gold Plaited Ring
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,985
A gold annular band with rectangular-section hoop, plaited wire bezel and shoulders composed of three facetted gold wire strands hammered together at the lower shoulder, with an interesting ancient stepped joint to the band. -
Large Medieval Fine Sandstone Virgin and Child Statue
Sold for (Inc. bp): £33,020
A substantial carved sandstone figure of the Madonna and Child; Mary depicted seated on a rectangular pedestal wearing a floor-length gown gathered at the waist, mantle to the shoulders and wimple beneath a crown with acanthus-leaf ornament, her right hand resting on her thigh and holding a bunch of grapes; infant Jesus on her left knee wearing a loose swaddling, holding a partly-furled scroll in his hands. -
Medieval Stained Glass Panel with the Crucifixion, Virgin and Saint Paul
Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,064
A rectangular glass panel with lead-alloy frame; image of Christ crucified below a plaque bearing the legend 'INRI', flanked by Virgin Mary and St John; spires and architectural detailing in the background above. -
Medieval Stained Glass Panel with Angel
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,048
An irregular glass panel in a lead-alloy piriform frame, painted image of an angel with one wing extended wearing an ankle-length robe, right arm extended downwards and left raised with the hand palm-outwards. -
Medieval Chasuble with Scenes of the Crucifixion
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,255
A fabric chasuble depicting the scene of Christ's crucifixion with God above, a foliate cross tended by Mary, St John, two Evangelists and Mary Magdalen on a cut velvet ground. -
Large Ethiopian Gospels Manuscript
Sold for (Inc. bp): £30,480
A large complete early Ethiopian gospel book produced in a reformist Stephanite community; complete text of the Gospels followed by the Mystagogia (Doctrina Arcanorum) with explanation of the canon tables and an account of the the compilation of the Gospels; 228 leaves with text written in black ink with rubrics, a coloured top margin ornament introducing each of the Gospels, derived from crux ansata motifs; drypoint ruling and pricking visible for page layout; later note on folio 19 verso recording the manuscript's donation to the church of Däbrä Mika'él by Wäyzäro Wälättä Egziabehér; bound between wooden boards with tooled leather covering, brocade fabric inserts. -
Ethiopian Book of Divination Including the Cycle of Kings
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,810
A vellum manuscript of 123 leaves bound within wooden boards, the front upper with incised decoration of a cross, two paintings of guardian angels inside; the contents include the Awdä Nägäst (Cycle of the Kings) and a zodiac; preserved in the original pouch with straps and inner case.
Cretaceous Period, 145-65 million years BP
Lot No. 6013
Sold for (Inc. premium): £25
Silurian Period, c.420 million years BP
Lot No. 6014
Sold for (Inc. premium): £114
Eocene Period, 58-36 million years BP
Lot No. 6015
Sold for (Inc. premium): £32
Pliocene period, 5.2-2.5 million years BP and later
Lot No. 6016
Sold for (Inc. premium): £64
Miocene-Pliocene Period, 23-2.5 million years BP
Lot No. 6017
Sold for (Inc. premium): £241
20th century AD
Lot No. 6018
Sold for (Inc. premium): £19
Cretaceous Period, 125-113 million years BP
Lot No. 6019
Sold for (Inc. premium): £38
Lot No. 6020
Sold for (Inc. premium): £32
Oligocene-Miocene Period, 45-5.3 million years BP
Lot No. 6021
Sold for (Inc. premium): £127
Middle Ordovician Period, 470 million years BP
Lot No. 6022
Sold for (Inc. premium): £229
Lot No. 6023
Sold for (Inc. premium): £13
Pleistocene Period, 2.6 million years-11,700 years BP
Lot No. 6024
Sold for (Inc. premium): £19