Auction Highlights
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Egyptian Red Glass Face Inlay
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
A red glass insert of a profile face with remains of a pharaonic crown to the forehead. -
Egyptian Thoth as an Ibis with Maat
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500
A blue-glazed composition amulet in the form of an ibis (representing the god Thoth) seated on a wedge-shaped base, facing a figure of Maat appearing as a diminutive stooping female with an ostrich feather; some details to both figures rendered in a darker blue glaze; suspension loop to the rear of the bird's neck. -
Egyptian Bust of Ptah
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13,000
A white limestone figure of the god Ptah with false beard, wearing an enveloping cloak and a broad wesekh-collar, holding the shaft of a was sceptre; serene, oval face with almond-shaped eyes and fleshy lips; remnants of dorsal pillar to reverse; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Large Greek Hydria with Egg-and-Dart Motifs
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,525
A spectacular bronze hydria composed of a tapering body, broad shoulder and waisted neck, the everted rim decorated with egg-and-dart motifs, three round-section handles and tiered, ogival foot; professionally restored. -
Large Greek Apulian Red-Figure Bell-Krater
Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600
A red-figure terracotta bell-krater displaying polychrome figural panels between a laurel wreath and a band of Greek key motifs; side a) two robed male figures holding staffs, wearing a taenia or a band around the head, standing facing a central altar; side b) a woman wearing a chiton and holding a casket and olive sprig in her outstretched hands, advancing right towards a nude man standing right, his head turned towards her, holding a bucket and olive sprig, a cloak draped over his arm, elaborate volute palmettes beneath both handles; restored. -
Roman Military Eagle Staff Terminal
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
A free-standing bronze imperial or military eagle terminal from a staff or a sceptre, modelled in the round in a dynamic pose standing on a globe, wings spread, head turned to the right, semi-naturalistic anatomical and feather detailing; the globe bearing an incised eight-armed stylised Macedonian star; sub-triangular lug to back of the neck; collar to globe with hollow underside. -
'The Castleford Military Garrison' Romano-British 'Regio Lagitiensis' Inscribed Brooch
Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,940
The best example of only three examples of this type known, a copper-alloy knee brooch composed of a rectangular-section body, spring pin within bow plate and remains of catchplate to reverse; both sides of the body with two panels of Latin lettering moulded in relief: 'FIBUL[A] EX REG LAGITIENSE', translating to 'Brooch from the Regio Lagitiensis' (Roman Castleford); remains of blue glass enamelling to the recessed fields. -
Large 'King Nebuchadnezzar the Great' Brick from the Wall of Babylon
Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,980
A large fired clay brick from the Wall of Babylon bearing six lines of stamped Babylonian cuneiform inscription to one face which reads: 'AG - ku -dur-ri-URU' / 'LUGAL ba-bi-lu' / 'za-ni-nu é-sag-ila' / 'u e-zi-da IBILA' / 'SAG.KAL. sa AG-IBILA-URU' / 'LUGAL ba-bi-lu ana-ku', which translates: 'Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who provides for Esagila and Ezida, the eldest son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, am I'; traces of bitumen on the blank side; accompanied by an old label which reads: 'Brick from the Wall of Babylon / Presented by W.Bro. Gentle-Cackett Secretary Bible Lands Mission / The impression records the fact that it was built by King Nebuchadnezzar [II]'. -
Roman Legionary Helmet with Wings of Jupiter
Sold for (Inc. bp): £52,000
A tinned sheet-bronze legionary helmet of Imperial Gallic Type A with deep rounded bowl, simple C-shaped cut-outs for the ears, integral flared neck-guard extending some way along the sides, corrugated ribs to the occipital area at the rear and corrugated 'wings' or eyebrows (Russel-Robinson's Type E) above the brow; small stud the rear of the neck-guard attaching suspension loops to the underside; hinged bracket at each temple for a deeply curved cheek-guard with gently flared rim, bearing a loop to the inner face to accept an vinculum fastening strap; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. -
Anglo-Saxon Gilt Chip-Carved Mount with Interlaced Panels
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,240
A gilt copper-alloy mount composed of a broad annular body with slightly domed profile, the body quartered with each cell displaying a chip-carved interlace motif configured A:B:A:B; rim, edges and central cell with raised rim; rivet and flat-section mounting bar to reverse. -
'The Pershore' Anglo-Saxon Hanging Bowl Mount with Horse-Head
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,150
A bronze bowl mount or escutcheon comprising a discoid panel with gently curved profile and zoomorphic hook; the panel with reserved La Tène comma-leaf decoration on a pounced field (intended to receive enamel fill); the hook with median gusset to the outer face, horse-head finial, bulbous La Tène ornament at the base. -
'The Siddington' Impressive Anglo-Saxon Chip-Carved Saucer Brooch Pair
Sold for (Inc. bp): £24,700
A pair of large Early Anglo-Saxon gilt copper-alloy saucer brooches each comprising a broad (13mm+) angled flange surrounding a central disc with carinated border; outer zone comprising four arches subdivided by hatching to the inner edge and four C-shaped panels with triangular separators, inner zone separated by a carinated border, central disc with four radiating bilinear crescents; pin-lugs and catch to the reverse with traces of mineralised fabric. -
English Medieval Silver Chessman Type Seal Matrix for Stephen of Ale Lane
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,510
A silver chessman-type seal matrix with pierced trefoil head and knop above; central motif of a leopard statant gardant before a tree, pelletted border and blackletter legend '* sigillum [lozenge] steffani [cinquefoil cinquefoil] ale [cinquefoil lozenge] lane' (for 'seal of Stephen [at?] ale lane'). -
'The Bettiscombe' Medieval Gold 'Loyalty is Everything' Posy Ring
Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,160
An annular gold band with everted upper and lower lip, filigree ropework above and below each rim, with circumferential inscription to the recessed exterior face; of the five separate bands, the central one accommodating an applied strip of paler gold bearing a Medieval French blackletter inscription in relief, reading: '+loiautet (5 five cinquefoils) pas tout (5 five cinquefoils)', or 'Loyalty Passes All'; the inscription band may once have been enamelled; plain interior; the outer rim and twisted band on one edge are slightly bent; cleaned and repaired. -
Stuart Period Gold Renaissance Memento Mori Signet Ring with C.L. and Skull
Sold for (Inc. bp): £19,500
A substantial gold signet ring composed of a lentoid-section hoop, expanding capital style shaped shoulders and irregular octagonal bezel engraved with a skull, two flowers below separating the reversed initials in capitals: 'CL', framed by a beaded border. -
Marble Statue of Kneeling Venus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £14,950
A marble copy of the kneeling Venus (original in the Vatican Museums), crouching on an octagonal base; the arms raised in expressive pose, head tilted, hair drawn up in a chignon; lettering to base 'KNEELING VENUS' and 'ROME'.
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Natural History - Pyrite Crystal Specimen Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
A group of four pyrite or 'fool's gold' mineral specimens; each held in a white card collector's tray labelled 'Huanaco Peru'. 372 grams total, 37-47 mm
From Huanaco, Peru. Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Campo del Cielo Meteorite Group
Fell 6000-5000 years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A group of two Campo del Cielo nickel iron (IAB) meteorites; each held in a plastic display case with identification label. 17 grams total, case 40 x 34 mm each
From Chaco Province, Argentina, found 1576. Acquired UK, 2020. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher.
A crater field of roughly 26 craters was found in the vicinity of this crater, which is estimated to date to 4-5 thousand years BP. The age of the meteorite itself is thought to be c.4.5 billion years, formed as part of the development of this solar system. The largest two fragments, the 30.8 ton Gancedo and 28.8 ton El Chaco, are among the heaviest meteorite masses ever recovered on Earth. In 1576, the governor of a province in Northern Argentina commissioned the military to search for a large mass of iron, which it was believed ‘the natives’ claimed had fallen from the sky and which they used for their weapon production. The expedition discovered a large mass of metal which was assumed to be an iron mine and brought back a few samples, which were described as being of unusual purity. Following the legends, in 1774 Don Bartolomé Francisco de Maguna rediscovered the iron mass. He himself did not believe that the stone had fallen from the sky and assumed that it had formed by a volcanic eruption. However, he sent the samples to the Royal Society of London. In 1990 it became protected by law. -
Natural History - Pink Dolomite Crystal Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £1
A group of ten pink dolomite mineral specimens with crystal crust masses. 1.1 kg total, 7.5-10.2 cm
Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Mastodon Fossil Tusk Carving
Pliocene Period, 5.2-2.5 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
A fossil mastodon tusk with later carved stylised face. 100 grams, 94 mm
Acquired 1980s. London, UK, collection. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. -
Natural History - Fossil Bivalve Group
Jurassic Period, circa 150 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
A pair of fossilised bivalves. 332 grams total, 73-74 mm
From the Morondava River Basin, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Southwest Madagascar. From an old Oxfordshire, UK, fossil and mineral collection. -
Natural History - Ice Age Bison Fossil Leg Bone
Devensian Period, 110,000-12,000 years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
A large Ice Age Bison priscus lower leg bone. 1.23 kg, 43 cm
From Brown Bank, off Lowestoft, UK. Acquired before 1960. From an old Norwich, UK, collection. -
Natural History - Fossil Woolly Mammoth Bone
Pleistocene Period, 2.6 million-11,700 years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A Mammuthus primigenius fossil woolly mammoth bone, mounted on a custom-made display base with information sticker. 954 grams total, 25 cm high including stand
Ex Lincolnshire, UK, collection. -
Natural History - Very Large Polished Agate Mineral 'Table'
Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
A very large specimen of agate with one cut and polished face. 3.9 kg, 21.5 cm
Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Fossil Cave Bear Rib Bone
Circa 27,500 years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
A fossil cave bear Ursus spelaeus rib bone. 63 grams, 22.5 cm
From Romania. Acquired 1950s-1960s. From an old Bristol, UK, paleontological collection. -
Natural History - Mosasaur Fossil Jaw Section
Cretaceous Period, 145-65 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
A fossilised lower jaw section displaying three teeth from Prognathodon sp., mosasaur specialised in eating tough shelled prey. 101 grams, 10.4 cm
From the phosphate mine region, Khouribga, Morocco, North Africa. Acquired 1950s-1960s. From an old Bristol, UK, paleontological collection. -
Natural History - Cut and Polished Amethyst Crystal Pyramid Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A group of six amethyst pyramids held in white card collector's trays. 188 grams total, 29-34 mm
Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Massive Clear Quartz Crystal Point
Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A very large clear quartz crystal point with internal features producing iridescence. 475 grams, 10.8 cm
Very fine condition.
From Brazil. Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).