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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Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Boar's Head Stirrup Mount
10th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
A copper-alloy zoomorphic stirrup mount of Williams' Class A, Type 8; formed as a boar's head with stylised detailing; the mount is sub-triangular in plan displaying one head at the apex and two heads below, decoration comprising looping and bifurcating tendrils; shallow ledge to the reverse and three perforations for mounting. 23.3 grams, 55 mm
Fine condition, traces of strap to the reverse.
Found near Snargate, Kent, UK. Property of a Kent gentleman. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no. KENT-D935E8. -
Viking Period Silver Expanding Ring Group
8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
A group of four silver rings, each composed of a tapering, lentoid-section hoop, arms overlapping and coiling at the bezel. 13.4 grams total, 29-33 mm
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Viking Period Silver Bracelet with Bee
8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
A slender silver child's bracelet, composed of a decoratively twisted round-section hoop with overlapping terminals, one formed with a stylised bee or other winged insect. 1.91 grams, 55 mm high
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Viking Age Stamped Silver Pendant
Circa 8th-10th century A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £312
A discoid silver pendant decoratively stamped with blank triangles, triangles containing trefoil pellets and annulets containing pellets; ribbed tubular suspension loop; Latvian workmanship. 11.8 grams, 55 mm
Acquired in the 1990s. From a North Yorkshire private collection, UK. -
Viking Age Silver Ring Group
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £176
A group of three silver rings each formed as a hoop with the ends twisted round the shank. 6.53 grams total, 13-23 mm
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Viking Age Twisted Torc with Looped Terminals
Circa 8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
A copper-alloy torc with a tapering round-section body composed of decoratively twisted bars, terminals forming loops and coiled collars. 63 grams, 13 cm wide
Early 1990s London collection. Acquired on the UK art market. From a private collection, Lancashire, UK. -
Viking Period Silver Axe Pendant Group
8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £416
A trio of silver axehead pendants of different forms, each suspended on a free-running silver ring with overlapping and coiled arms; two decorated with punched annulets to one face, a third with punched triangles populated with single pellets. 8.93 grams total, 32-34 mm
Fine condition, usage wear.
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Scandinavian Viking Equal-Arm Brooch
9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £64
A bronze equal-arm brooch of Aargård Type III A, with central lozenge, symmetrical scooped flanges with low-relief geometric ornament and trefoil finial, raised circular sockets, remains of ferrous pin to the reverse with lugs and catch, copper-alloy suspension ring attached to a loop to one pierced socket. 21.5 grams, 79 mm
Fine condition.
Acquired before 1960. From the family collection of a UK gentleman, by descent in the early 1970s. -
Viking Period Silver Hair Braid Ring
Circa 8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
A silver hair ring of coiled form, composed of a roughly round-section body with tapering, rounded terminals. 8.16 grams, 15 mm
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Viking Age Silver Twisted Bracelet
Circa 8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
A penannular silver bracelet with tapering terminals, twisted bar body. 49 grams, 71 mm
Early 1990s London collection. Acquired on the UK art market. From a private collection, Lancashire, UK. -
Viking Period Silver Lunar Pendant
Circa 10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
A silver crescent pendant with applied rim, recurved suspension loop with granule, three applied granules and curved band to the field; Slavic workmanship. 3.94 grams, 26 mm
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman. -
Viking Age Stamped Silver Pendant
Circa 8th-10th century A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £182
A sub-rectangular silver pendant with ribbed suspension loop at the apex, the front face decorated with a repoussé disc, surrounded by stamped triangles and annulets; Latvian workmanship. 7.31 grams, 52 mm
Acquired in the 1990s. From a North Yorkshire private collection, UK.