Auction Highlights
-
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'.
-
Egyptian Blue Faience Shabti Group
Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
A group of four blue-glazed faience shabtis. 18.2 grams total, 43-46 mm
Fair condition.
Acquired 1930s-1950s. Ex Ciapara collection. -
Egyptian Offering Cup Lid Fragment Group
New Kingdom, 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
A mixed group of fragments from the lids of offering cups in shades of cream, blue and turquoise. 29 grams total, 36-40 mm
From a UK private collection, 1975-1978. -
Egyptian Tell el Amarna Artefact Collection
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, 1350-1334 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
A group of five ceramic fragments from Tell el Amarna, comprising: a bread mould fragment with one rounded face, believed to originate from the Small Aten Temple; a decorated blue ware fragment featuring a polychrome painted geometric design; a fragment believed to have come from the King's House, Tell el Amarna; a probable miniature vessel with foot and chipped rim. 711 grams total, 5.2-14.4 cm
From an old UK collection. From the private collection of Alf Baxendale (1941-2016) part 2, keen Egyptologist, member of the Egyptology Society, trustee of the Amarna Trust; thence by descent. Accompanied by three identification display cards. Accompanied by a copy of his obituary published in Horizon, The Amarna Project and Amarna Trust newsletter, Issue 18, 2017, p.21, by Barry John Kemp, CBE, FBA, Professor Emeritus of Egyptology at the University of Cambridge and directing excavations at Amarna in Egypt. -
Egyptian Silver Amulet of Horus-Ra in the Form of a Falcon
Late Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
A silver amuletic pendant formed as a perching falcon with integral suspension loop. 3.47 grams, 18 mm high
London, UK, art market, 1980s. From the collection of G.M.R.H., London, UK. -
Egyptian Seated Falcon Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
A carved carnelian amuletic pendant of the falcon god Horus, sitting on a rectangular base; suspension loop behind the shoulders. 1.65 grams, 17 mm
Acquired 1980s. Private collection of L.H., Staffordshire, UK. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. -
Egyptian and Other Artefact Collection
1st millennium B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £195
A mixed group comprising: a miniature glazed composition shabti; two gold domed discs, one with a granule cluster to the apex; a gold lozenge cell with granulation to the rim; a square gold cell with flanking loops and granulation; a gold triangular panel with granulated dividers, triangles to the upper edge; a gold domed disc with quartered design and rosettes, granulated; a gold leaf-shaped pendant and chain links; three gold cells with carnelian inlays. 5.35 grams total, 6-46 mm
Acquired 1990s. English private collection. Property of an Essex gentleman. -
Egyptian Bull-Headed Apis Shabti Head
New Kingdom, Ramesside Period, 1295-1069 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,690
A glazed composition shabti fragment representing the head of a bull surmounted by a sun-disc between its horns, wearing a lappet wig and with human arms crossed over the chest; the missing lower portion continued the shape of a mummiform human body; the back of the figure flat and bearing faint traces of inscription, the opening begins with a common shabti introduction which appears to be followed (as would be expected) by the name of syncretic deity Osiris Apis. 34 grams, 60 mm
Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998. Accompanied by a scholarly note by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.
The figure comes from the catacombs at Saqqara where the sacred Apis bulls were buried, known today as the Serapeum. The Apis bull was associated principally with the gods Ptah, patron deity of Memphis, and Osiris, and when one died it was afforded the kind of lavish burial befitting a pharaoh. All bull-headed shabtis date to the 19th and 20th Dynasties and were left as offerings beside the huge granite sarcophagi of the deified bulls. These shabtis were among hundreds of objects recovered from the catacombs by Auguste Mariette during his excavations there between 1850-1853. The Musée du Louvre in Paris holds the largest collection of artefacts from the Serapeum outside Egypt, including around 120 Apis shabtis. They reveal that the this fragment with its sun-disc is from a rare variant of this shabti type; just 5 of the Louvre examples have sun-discs (S 1823, N 5234 51-54), the remaining shabtis have a bull’s head with short stubby horns and no sun-disc. -
Egyptian Amethyst Scarab Group
Graeco-Roman Period, 332 B.C.-323 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
A group of two amethyst scarabs pierced for suspension, each with simple detailing to the wings, head and legs. 1.12 grams total, 8-9 mm
Acquired 1980s. Private collection of L.H., Staffordshire, UK. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. -
Egyptian Seated Cat Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,690
A carved carnelian amuletic pendant of the cat goddess Bastet sitting on a rectangular base, suspension loop behind the shoulders. 1.97 grams, 19 mm
Acquired 1980s. Private collection of L.H., Staffordshire, UK. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. -
Egyptian Faience Bead Necklace
Late Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A restrung group of tubular faience beads with a modern clasp. 8.3 grams, 48 cm long
From an early 20th century UK collection. -
Egyptian Wooden Shabti
New Kingdom, 19th-20th Dynasty, circa 1315-1081 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
A carved wood shabti figure modelled mummiform with arms folded across the chest and wearing a tripartite wig, painted detailing to the front and rear of the body; remains of polychrome pigmentation. 46 grams, 19 cm high
Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998.
Many crude wooden shabtis of this type were found at Gurob and Sedment; they range from having minimal decoration and no inscription to being entirely painted and inscribed. -
Egyptian Offering Cup Fragment Group
New Kingdom, 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
A group of four blue glass fragments from offering cups. 35 grams total, 36-48 mm
From a UK private collection, 1975-1978.