Auction Highlights
-
Egyptian Fishtail Flint Knife
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,150
Knapped bifacial tan knife with fishtail butt to receive a hilt; the rounded tip tapering and flaring along the edges; with a custom-made display stand. -
Egyptian Stone Scarab Inscribed for Tutankhamun
Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500
Naturalistically modelled and coloured blue, hieroglyphs on base; pierced for suspension. -
Greek Marble Funerary Anthemion Stele
Sold for (Inc. bp): £17,550
Comprising a tall, plain body with two rosettes; crowned by an elaborate palmette and volute design with shallow acanthus stalks and small rosettes; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Corinthian Black-Figure Aryballos with a Lion
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,900
The squat oil flask with slender neck and broad everted rim, painted with rosette petals around the mouth and base, spots encircling the rim, horizontal stipes to the strap handle, vegetal motifs and the forequarters of a roaring lion to one face of the body. -
Greek Tarentine Terracotta Head of a Youth
Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,720
Possibly depicting Ganymede or Paris, wearing a soft Phrygian cap with everted brim, the hair swept back from the face; almond-shaped eyes with pronounced eyelids, straight nose and fleshy lips; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Campanian Red-Figure Neck-Amphora with Cavalryman
Sold for (Inc. bp): £10,400
The piriform body with broad, stepped rim and two round-section handles; red-figure frieze depicting two standing women facing, wearing a himation and stephane; the other side with a nude standing warrior wearing an Apulo-Corinthian helmet, holding the reins of his horse, acanthus leaves, ovolo and wave motifs to the neck and lower body; probably from a Cuma workshop. -
Hellenistic Gold Earrings with Lapis and Mother of Pearl
Sold for (Inc. bp): £19,500
Comprising a shallow disc with central flower motif inlaid with carnelian and lapis lazuli, surrounded by a beaded border, the outer pearled border inlaid with mostly replicant lapis lazuli, and mother of pearl inserts; three pendants to the lower edge, two with chain and carnelian bead, the central pendant formed as a miniature amphora with filigree, repaired; housed in a custom-made display box. -
Hellenistic Terracotta Head of a Youth
Sold for (Inc. bp): £18,200
Tousled curly hair, strong aquiline nose and full mouth; the deep eyes marked by raised eyelids and prominent semi-circular eyebrows; the hair arranged in overlapping rows of locks; repaired; mounted on a later porphyry plinth. -
Roman Terracotta Foot Lamp
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,380
Mould-made and shaped as a sandaled left foot, filling-hole surrounded by a ridge in the ankle area, the sandal with two leather straps tied together near the ankle, wick-hole in the big toe; inscription 'ƩΑΛΣΙϹ' to the base, heel chipped. -
Roman Polychrome Wall Painting Fragment with Winged Siren
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20,800
Decorated with a frieze of partially preserved acanthus volutes from which emerges a figure of a winged female, possibly a siren, the body and the head of a woman with brown hair, the outstretched wings in pink and yellow; ochre background, cream-coloured line border with a green raised edge (part of the wall) below; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Neo-Assyrian Bronze Horse Trapping with Eagle-Headed God Nisroch and Winged Supernatural Figures
Sold for (Inc. bp): £15,600
The left side of a trapping for a horse pulling a chariot, comprising two hammered elements with a hinge; rectangular upper section with a loop to one end, decorated with an eagle-headed genius-demon, wearing a tunic and a fringed kilt, a shawl wrapped around the body, hanging down on the back, carrying a bucket of purifying water in his right hand and a conical pot of incense in his left hand, bracelets to arms, two rows of lotus buds above; the discoid lower section divided in two registers, each with a winged genii in combat with winged bulls; the dividing raised band with fish motifs similar to the border formed of fish; the edges of both elements with punched edges for the attachment of leather lining; Neo-Assyrian or Urartian; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Migration Period Iron Sword with Garnet Cross Guard and Scabbard Fittings
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,150
With a double-edged parallel-sided blade with broad pointed tip; the lower guard inlaid with garnet cloisonné divided into four segments; accompanied by a rectangular scabbard slide inlaid with two rows of garnets and other stone; and a part of a sheet-silver chape. -
Viking Iron Sword with Cross Guard Surmounted by Interlaced Dragons
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,450
Comprising a double-edged cutting blade with tapering fullers and hefty tang; the bronze cross guard in Jellinge style with dragon head finials and a central human face to the lower edge; the pommel with seven lobes; accompanied by a bronze openwork chape with central bird motif decorated with stamped ring-and-dot design. -
Bronze Age Gold Torc-Shaped Bracelet
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
Of solid heavy penannular form, round in section with clubbed terminals. -
Iberian Celtic 'Axel Guttman' Bronze Warrior Finial
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13,000
With slightly tapering socket and openwork bulb above, discoid platform supporting a mounted warrior modelled in the round; horse with long vertical tail and horizontal reins, bowed legs and scrolls at the hooves; warrior astride the horse with legs bent and feet to the rear, helmet with lateral horns and large swept crest with notched edge; arms bent to show the warrior in the act of drawing his falcata sword from the scabbard worn across his midriff; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Very Large Celtic Enamelled Bronze Dragonesque Brooch
Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,420
S-shaped with scrolled flourishes to the dragon-head terminals, remains of inlaid blue and red enamelling to the stylised beast heads, wave and lozenge ornament to the body; free-running tongue with head coiled around the neck of one of the creatures; Romano-British. -
Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Chip-Carved Beast Manuscript Mount
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,380
With high-relief aviform head and wings and looped ornamental swags, knotwork panels in the field; two holes for mounting; possibly a book-mount, Hiberno-Saxon workmanship. -
The High-Status 'Ryedale' Anglo-Saxon Bronze Hanging Bowl Complete with all Four Chip-Carved Mounts
Sold for (Inc. bp): £36,400
An excessively rare and almost complete copper-alloy hanging bowl and associated fittings comprising: (i) the bowl with three attached matching hooked escutcheons and suspension rings (ii) the basal disc (iii) a body fragment (or possible repair patch) (iv) a curved bronze fragment (ii) the basal disc with separate frame (iii) fragment of copper-alloy sheet, possibly forming part of a repair to the base of the bow (iv) a curved copper-alloy strip (iv) four skeletal fragments from a sheep or similar. -
'The Scampton' Published Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Florid Cruciform Brooch
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
Of Martin's Group 4 with rectangular headplate and florid face-masks to the three edges and conical eyes, deep bow with with square central panel, footplate with square lateral lappets, triangular face-mask finial with conical eyes; pin-lug and catchplate to the reverse; gilded surface abraded. -
Superb Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Great Square-Headed Brooch
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
Of Hines's Group X with two discs on the headplate in a rectangular frame surrounded by a frieze of facing human masks, and another mask placed centrally above the junction with the bow; shallow bow with three ribs; curved horse-head lappets flanking a vertical shank with facing mask detailing, discoid lobes and an inverted mask below; pin-lugs to the reverse and solder-scar where the catchplate was attached. -
Medieval Virgin and Child by a Follower of Dirk Bouts
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
Oil on board devotional panel in a gilt wooden frame; the Virgin in a bottle-green gown with gilt collar and cream undershift, crimson mantle; the naked Christ supported on his mother's left hip, his left foot clasped in the interleaved fingers of her right hand; textured gilt field; attributed to a follower of Dirk Bouts. -
Medieval Limoges Bronze and Champleve Enamel Roundel with Fantastical Creature
Sold for (Inc. bp): £23,400
Openwork winged beast to the centre, its tails curling beneath the body creating the foliate tendrils on which it perches, broad outer roundel decorated with geometric plants alternating with lozenges, extensive remains of blue champlevé enamelling; engraved and chiselled; four attachment holes. -
Medieval Gilt Bronze Processional Cross
Sold for (Inc. bp): £16,900
With wooden core to which the embossed sheets have been attached; the obverse with a central nimbate Corpus Christi, an applied rosette above and to the left arm; an angel to the finial of the upper and lower arm with Mary and St John the Evangelist to the side arms; the reverse with a central figure of Jesus holding the Gospel and making the sign of blessing; each finial of the arm with the symbols of the Evangelists (eagle, angel, lion and ox); the cross resting on a floral sphere with a socket below. -
Baroque Gold, Ruby and Enamel Ring
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
Composed of a slender hoop, expanding shoulders decorated with white enamelled foliage and black enamelled pea-pod ornament, repeated around the bezel, bezel with box setting holding a table-cut ruby, white and black enamelled floral design to the underside; minor loss of enamel; likely from France; accompanied by a 'Les Enluminures' hinged presentation box.
-
Pre-Columbian Obsidian Arrowhead and Implement Collection
Circa 2nd-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Comprising barbed arrowheads and scrapers. 10.8 grams total, 19-26 mm
Private U.K. family collection formed in the early 1970s. The property of Mr and Mrs P. R. of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. -
Pre-Columbian Tupu Quechua Brass Pin
18th-19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
The central spoon-shaped section, the bowl decorated with a punched floral design framed by crescents, tapering stem, two spoon-shaped shoulders with loops. 18.6 grams, 15 cm
Private U.K. family collection formed in the early 1970s. The property of Mr and Mrs P.R. of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members.
For a shawl or mantel. -
Pre-Columbian Wari Painted Ceramic Jug
Circa 900 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Pear-shaped with a flaring neck and openwork handles of possible anthropomorphic form with face baring teeth to the side, polychrome painted geometric scheme to the upper body; accompanied by a display base. 917 grams total, 23.5 cm high including stand
Ex Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection. -
Pre-Columbian Mexican Michoacan Standing Figure
300-100 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £351
Modelled in the half-round as a nude female, wearing arm bangles and an ornamental collar; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 527 grams total, 23 cm high including stand
Ex Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection.
This is a large example of the figurines of ancient Michoacan. These sculptures were made in abundance during the pre classic period and were likely crafted for personal use as votive figures. As with this example, these sculptures are renowned for showing details of necklaces and other adornment of the period. -
Pre-Columbian Cloth Made into Dolls in Victorian Times
11th-19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
The polychrome woven Pre-Columbian textile fragments sewn into doll form in the Victorian age, when the stylised faces were added and attached to a panel with a loop; the dolls have been woven to reflect the style of ancient Chancay dolls from Peru. 78 grams, 19 cm
Acquired 1970s onwards. Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex private collection of Benjamin Hyde-Smith, Hertfordshire, UK. -
Moche Replica Stirrup Vessel
20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
Globular bodied with a stirrup type neck and mouth, decorated with geometric scrolls or stylised serpents in relief and incised grooves. 690 grams, 21.5 cm high
Private U.K. family collection formed in the early 1970s. The property of Mr and Mrs P.R. of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. -
Pre-Columbian Ceramic Chancay Anthropomorphic Jar
1000-1200 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Bulbous-bodied with splayed neck and rounded base, stylised puffy-cheeked, squinty-eyed human face, raised arms embracing the bloated vessel bowl, one suspension loop and remains of a second to neck base. 384 grams, 13 cm high
Acquired by the vendor's mother 1960s-1970s, thence by descent. Ex Spray family collection, Norfolk, UK. -
Pre-Columbian Jama Coaque Ceramic Shaman Figure
100-500 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £247
Modelled seated, wearing an elaborated headdress and large hoop ear ornaments, holding what are likely ceremonial accoutrements. 250 grams, 13.1 cm high
Ex Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection.
The coastal people of the Jama Coaque, Ecuador, produced highly elaborate sculptures which show us heavily adorned figures who may represent shamans or dignitaries. This example with oversized earrings, complex headdress and ritual implements may represent a shaman conducting an important ceremony. -
Pre-Columbian Moche Ceramic Vessel Showing a Hunted Deer
Circa 2nd-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
The flask-shaped body with pedestal foot and tubular neck, pierced lugs to the shoulders and raised deer motif and spear to each face. 299 grams, 15 cm high
Ex Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection.
A number of vessels of the late Moche period also show deer being hunted with spears or clubs. It is likely such a practice would be reserved for those with high status within Moche society. Although the meaning of these vessels is not known, it is likely such hunts held a deep religious significance. -
Pre-Columbian Stone Arrowhead Collection
Circa 2nd-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Comprising bifacial knapped leaf, barbed and hollow base arrowhead types, in white quartz; most with a three-digit inked collector number. 27.5 grams total, 22-61 mm
Private U.K. family collection formed in the early 1970s. The property of Mr and Mrs P.R. of East Sussex. Thence by descent to family members. -
Pre-Columbian Nazca Ceramic Vessel
250-500 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
With everted rim, polychrome painted frieze to the neck depicting earth monsters, stylised cacti below; chipped and cracked; accompanied by a display base. 525 grams, 18 cm high
Ex Alan Cherry, Bournemouth, UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection. -
Pre-Columbian Toltec Terracotta Anthropomorphic Vessel
12th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Formed as a squash-shaped female figure with pierced ears, a storage jar attached to her back with a band wrapped around her head, the mouth of the model vessel also forming the mouth of the larger vessel, her arms raised to her temples; some remains of polychrome detailing. 221 grams, 15 cm high
Acquired 1970s onwards. Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex private collection of Benjamin Hyde-Smith, Hertfordshire, UK.