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 - Rose Quartz Crystal Specimen Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
A group of 100 rose quartz crystal specimens with a waxy lustre. 2.82 kg total, 35-59 mm
Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Cut and Polished Quartz Crystal Specimen Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A group of nine polished quartz crystal specimens of various shapes. 619 grams total, 44-67 mm
From Brazil. Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Fossil African 'T-Rex' Dinosaur Tooth
Cretaceous Period, 145-93 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £975
A large Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (African T-rex) tooth with visible serration and enamel. 52.7 grams, 80 mm
From Tegana formation, Sahara Desert, Morocco. Acquired during the 1980s. From an old Lincolnshire, UK, collection.
The Carcharodontosaurus saharicus was one of the largest predators of all time (larger than its distant North American T-Rex cousin) and is related to Allosaurus and the South American Giganotosaurus. -
Natural History - Fossil Bird Bone Group
Pleistocene Period, circa 2 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5
A group of five fossil bird bones. 18.7 grams total, 27-39 mm
From Rancho La Brea Formation, Maricopa Co., California, U.S.A. Acquired in the 1980s. From an old Bristol, UK, paleontological collection. -
Natural History - Polished Amber with Insect
Oligocene Period, circa 45 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A polished specimen of amber with insect inclusion. 3.26 grams, 41 mm
Fine condition.
English collection formed in the 1990s. UK art market. Ex property of an Essex gentleman. -
Natural History - British Specularite with Quartz Crystal Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
A group of ten specimens of specularite with quartz; each held in a white card collector's tray and accompanied by a typed identification label reading 'Cumbria, UK'. 273 grams total, 25-41 mm
From Cumbria, UK. Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Cut and Polished Agate Crystal Geode Pair
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Two halves of a cut agate geode with polished upper face and exposed crystals to the centres. 1.14 kg total, 10.3-10.6 cm
Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's). -
Natural History - Boxed Fossil Crinoid Display Collection
Carboniferous Period, 358.9-298.9 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A mixed group of 17 fossil crinoid 'parts' of various types; held in a display box. 270 grams total, 21 x 16 cm
Fine condition.
From the Fort Payne Formation, Sumner County, Tennessee, USA. From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection. -
Natural History - Large Diplomystus Fossil Fish
Eocene Period, 56-33 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
A large Diplomystus sp. fossil fish in a rectangular shale matrix. 2.8 kg, 52.5 x 28.5 cm
From Wyoming, Green River Formation, U.S.A. From an old Lincoln, UK, collection.
In southwest Wyoming (and parts of Colorado and Utah) in the Green River Formation are found some of the world's most outstanding specimens of fossil fish. The Green River system was composed of three lakes: Lake Ulinta, Lake Gosiute and Fossil Lake. These Eocene Lakes lay in a series of intermountain basins formed by geological events that uplifted the Rocky Mountains during the early Tertiary time. The climate was much different from the desert-like climate of this area today. Both the fauna (crocodiles, alligators, boa constrictors and some subtropical fish families) and the flora (such as large palm trees) indicate a climate much like that found along the Gulf Coast today. Large amounts of ash found in the sediments indicate that volcanoes were particularly active at this time. -
Natural History - Mosasaur Fossil Jaw Section
Cretaceous Period, 145-65 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
A fossilised lower jaw section displaying three teeth from Prognathodon sp., a late mosasaur specialised in eating tough shelled prey. 176 grams, 13 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 Fossil Ammonite
Jurassic Period, 199-145 million years B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A pair of cut and polished fossil ammonite halves, each displaying the gas chambers; possibly Cleoniceras sp. 172 grams total, 95-97 mm
From Madagascar. Collected between 1930 and 1960. From the collection of the palaeontologist R Gledhill. -
Natural History - Nantan Meteorite
Fell 1516 A.D., found 1958 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
A nickel iron meteorite (111CD) with a composition of 92.35% iron and 6.96% nickel. 26 grams, 48 mm
From Nantan Nandan County, Guangxi Region, China. From an old Lincoln, UK, collection.
The Nantan meteorite fell in 1516, as recorded in ancient Chinese texts; the fall exploded during descent which resulted in a shower of many individual iron meteorites over an area some 28km x 8km in Nantan County, Guangxi, China. Classified as an iron meteorite; 111CD Course Octohedrite, the composition is approximately 92% iron, 6% nickel and contains more than ten other minerals including kamacite, taenite, dominate, plessite, schreibersite, triolite, graphite and others.