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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Roman Gold Ring with Garnet Cabochon
1st-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £650
A gold ring with raised oval bezel inset deep red cabochon garnet. 1.25 grams, 14.67 mm overall, 12.36 mm internal diameter
Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998. -
Roman Redware Lamp Fragment with Bucolic Scene
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
A fragment of a redware oil lamp comprising the discus and shoulder, part of the nozzle and part of the handle; the shoulder with finely moulded running vine scroll ornament; the discus pierced in two places with a scene involving a tree with a roofed structure in the branches, and a child seated with legs dangling over the edge of the platform, playing a wind instrument, a bird perched above the roof, a hare and pursuing hound to the right and a second child on the left descending from the platform on a rope; modern mounting fixed to the reverse, repaired. 81 grams, 12 cm
Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. -
Roman Medical Instrument Group
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £25
A group of two medical instruments comprising: a probe with one thick rounded end and a triangular blade to the other; a probe with one knopped end and a flat spoon or pallette to the other. 26.9 grams total, 12.3-16 cm
Fine condition.
Ex UK art market, 1970s. Property of a London gentleman. -
Roman Stucco Head of a Youth
Provincial, 2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
A stucco head from a cornice modelled in the half-round with fleshy cheeks and chin, squinting eyes, snub nose and open mouth; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 579 grams total, 13.8 cm (17 cm high including stand)
Fair condition.
Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016. -
Roman Redware Handled Jug
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
A squat coarse terracotta jug with thick rim and loop handle to the shoulder. 464 grams, 15 cm wide
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Roman Bronze Bowl
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
A bronze bowl with a squat, barrel-shaped body, broad rim and foot; concentric raised basal rings; old French collection label to the body. 335 grams, 78 mm wide
Ex collection of Louis-Gabriel Bellon (1819-1899), France. -
Roman Byzantine and Islamic Glass Vessel Collection
1st century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £221
A group of eight glass vessels from the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic civilisations, of various types and dates: a pale green bulbous jar with a flared neck and rim, blobs to the neck and shoulder; a green bottle with waisted cylindrical body and short neck decorated with raised vertical ribs and hatching; a miniature piriform green bottle with globular foot and slightly flared neck; a clear glass miniature bottle of squat form, with a tubular neck and remains of iridescence to the internal surface; a pale green bottle with a squat body, long tubular neck and everted rim; a piriform green bottle with high shoulder and rounded base, tubular neck; a barrel-shaped pale blue vessel with inverted rim; an amber-brown coloured vessel of carinated form, wheel-cit bands to the equator and rim. 387 grams total, 40-97 mm
Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. -
Roman Glass Unguentarium
2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
A blue glass unguentarium with a piriform body and long tubular neck with flanged rim; some iridescence to surfaces. 71.8 grams, 12 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Roman Limestone Column
1st century A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £169
A surviving section from a small limestone architectural pedestal column base with remains of cylindrical column to top, decorated with a collar of conjoined lozenges. 936 grams, 13.5 cm high
Acquired before 2000. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman. -
Roman Military Horse Harness Phalera
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
A bronze military horse harness phalera featuring an oval plaque decorated with openwork whorls and volutes, two integral rectangular attachment lugs, free-moving attachment arm with rivet. 63 grams, 12 cm
Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK. -
Roman and Other Bead Necklace
1st century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £26
A restrung necklace composed of 'black' stone and glass beads of various sizes, dates and types, including barrel-shaped, annular, oblate, spherical and other types. 8.2 grams, 81 cm long
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Roman Phallic Pendant
2nd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
A bronze phallic pendant with stylised anatomical detailing and integral suspension loop. 8.28 grams, 30 mm
Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK.