Home > Auctions > 5 - 9 September 2023
Ancient Art, Antiquities, Natural History & Coins
Auction Highlights:
.jpg "Hellenistic Gold Earrings with Lapis and Mother of Pearl")
.jpg "Hellenistic Terracotta Head of a Youth")
.jpg "Neo-Assyrian Bronze Horse Trapping with Eagle-Headed God Nisroch and Winged Supernatural Figures")
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,450
.jpg "Bronze Age Gold Torc-Shaped Bracelet")
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
Sold for (Inc. bp): £23,400
Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Comprising complete and fragmentary artefacts including: crotal bells; clothes clasps; finger rings; heart-shaped mounts; furniture fittings; purse bars and other miscellaneous items, including gilt examples. 680 grams total, 14-60 mm
Found Berkshire, UK.
Found Berkshire, UK.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Hollow-formed with Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus and a globe, border of triangular radiating flames, openwork crown. 1530 grams, 16 cm high
Private collection, Auvergne, Central France.
Daguerre Societe de Ventes Volontaires, 12 December 2016, lot 50.
Ex central London gallery.
Private collection, Auvergne, Central France.
Daguerre Societe de Ventes Volontaires, 12 December 2016, lot 50.
Ex central London gallery.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Circular in plan with a domed upper face, decorated with rectangular notches either side of a central band. 20 grams, 45 mm
From the collection of a Northern Ireland gentleman.
Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.
From the collection of a Northern Ireland gentleman.
Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
Sheet gold strip with applied lop to the apex. 0.83 grams, 15 mm
Acquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Acquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Comprising small scythes and knife blades of various types. 1.75 kg total, 11-24 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, figs.76, 118, 139, for similar 14th-15th century A.D. examples of knives.
A variety of 14th and 15th century forms of knives are represented here including several with stepped backs. In the 14th century the blades of the knives became to be longer and thinner and frequently marked.
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, figs.76, 118, 139, for similar 14th-15th century A.D. examples of knives.
A variety of 14th and 15th century forms of knives are represented here including several with stepped backs. In the 14th century the blades of the knives became to be longer and thinner and frequently marked.
Engraved with two crosses fourchée within a circular frame, flanking crescents. 2.36 grams, 22.74mm overall, 20.30mm internal diameter (approximate size British R 1/2, USA 8 3/4, Europe 19.38, Japan 18)
English collection, 1980s.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Ex property of an Essex gentleman.
Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.
See Bequest, F., Catalogue of the finger rings Early Christian, Byzantine, Teutonic, Mediaeval and later, London, 1912, no.252, for the typology.
The use of seals became more and more essential during the time when the majority of the population was illiterate; the use of signet rings continued until after the fall of Rome in the West. With the establishment of heraldry, the armorial signet was generally adopted by all those entitled to bear arms. A considerable proportion of medieval rings were signets, with portraits, names or monograms, and emblems such as the cross, most of these having the designs cut in a metal bezel.
English collection, 1980s.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Ex property of an Essex gentleman.
Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.
See Bequest, F., Catalogue of the finger rings Early Christian, Byzantine, Teutonic, Mediaeval and later, London, 1912, no.252, for the typology.
The use of seals became more and more essential during the time when the majority of the population was illiterate; the use of signet rings continued until after the fall of Rome in the West. With the establishment of heraldry, the armorial signet was generally adopted by all those entitled to bear arms. A considerable proportion of medieval rings were signets, with portraits, names or monograms, and emblems such as the cross, most of these having the designs cut in a metal bezel.
Comprising hunting, butcher's domestic and other blade types, including examples with serrated blades and sickles. 3.1 kg total, 18-42 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, figs.57-63, for similar 14th century A.D. examples of knives.
Aside from the actual cut marks that are observed on animal bones following archaeological excavation, the butchery implements found from the medieval period are of considerable importance. The cut marks seem to indicate a more refined style of butchery with less use of the cleaver for disarticulation and a greater reliance on knives. The defining characteristic of the butchery knives is that they were sharp-edged and likely to have been made in much the same way as the cleavers, i.e. with a steel edge to maintain sharpness.
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, figs.57-63, for similar 14th century A.D. examples of knives.
Aside from the actual cut marks that are observed on animal bones following archaeological excavation, the butchery implements found from the medieval period are of considerable importance. The cut marks seem to indicate a more refined style of butchery with less use of the cleaver for disarticulation and a greater reliance on knives. The defining characteristic of the butchery knives is that they were sharp-edged and likely to have been made in much the same way as the cleavers, i.e. with a steel edge to maintain sharpness.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Discoid with central lion rampant, legend to the rim: 'FRANGE LEGE TEGE' MEANING 'break (the seal), read the contents of the letter/document under the seal, conceal (ditto)'. 4.91 grams, 22 mm
Found St Osyth, Essex, UK.
Found St Osyth, Essex, UK.
Shield-shaped, discoid and rectangular in broad form, displaying floral, star and other enigmatic motifs. 609 grams total, 35-58 mm
Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s.
From a North London collection.
Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s.
From a North London collection.
The circular die bearing the letter 'S' surrounded by plant fronds, hexagonal stem terminating in a collared loop with trilobate top; accompanied by an impression. 9.7 grams, 26 mm
Found Berkshire, UK.
Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.BERK-9D4B93.
Found Berkshire, UK.
Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.BERK-9D4B93.
Comprising: horse harness elements, knives and other miscellaneous objects including keys. 6.5 kg total, 1.2-34 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Leahy, K. and Lewis, M., Finds Identified II, London, 2020, pp.146-147, for a similar double-looped medieval buckle.
Double-looped medieval buckles were often formed of a D-shape and a more and less smaller rectangle. During the Renaissance they often were realised with a moulded rosette on the edge of both D-shaped loops.
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Leahy, K. and Lewis, M., Finds Identified II, London, 2020, pp.146-147, for a similar double-looped medieval buckle.
Double-looped medieval buckles were often formed of a D-shape and a more and less smaller rectangle. During the Renaissance they often were realised with a moulded rosette on the edge of both D-shaped loops.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Including blades and handles of various types and dates, some with decorative elements. 1.29 kg total, 5-22 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, nos 309-310, for similar knives.
The folding knives are distinguished by the absence of a tang, which sometimes can be replaced by a thumb piece. Usually there is a hole piercing the blade for the pivot to fasten the blade to the handle.
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Cf. Cowgill, J. et al., Knives and Scabbards. Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 1987, nos 309-310, for similar knives.
The folding knives are distinguished by the absence of a tang, which sometimes can be replaced by a thumb piece. Usually there is a hole piercing the blade for the pivot to fasten the blade to the handle.
Page 110 of 205
1309 - 1320 of 2453 LOTS
1309 - 1320 of 2453 LOTS
