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.

Naturalistically modelled and coloured blue, hieroglyphs on base; pierced for suspension.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Of solid heavy penannular form, round in section with clubbed terminals.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The fighting venator dressed in a long sleeved tunic embroidered with orbiculi and pectorarin, segmenta on the sleeves, brandishing a javelin of venabulum type; suspension loop to the reverse. 18 grams, 70 mm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

The combat scene is likely a reference to the gladiatorial fights between men and animals; such games in the arena were a principal form of entertainment through the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Both men and women would partake in such fights. The venatores (hunters) were the most specialised in this field, fighting with a spear with winged blades and long knives (culter venatorius).

Composed of a D-section hoop with stepped shoulders and oval bezel displaying an animal, possibly a bird. 5.83 grams, 23.73 mm overall, 19.06 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



Ex old English collection. London art market, 1980s.

Tapered green bowl with dimpled base and slightly inverted rim; spiral trail to the upper body, formed as pinched arches below; heavily restored. 52 grams, 94 mm wide



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

Modelled in the half-round with naturalistic detailing, between the tail a hinge loop, probably the lid from a high status fish-shaped vessel. 44 grams, 75 mm



‘The Ancient Menagerie Collection’ formerly the property of a Cambridgeshire lady, collected since the 1990s and acquired from auctions and dealers throughout Europe and the USA, now ex London collection.

The slender tubular neck rising from a globular body. 34 grams, 10.1 cm



Ex Coincraft, London WC1. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.

Composed of an oval-shaped body, possibly sodalite, displaying an intaglio scorpion; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 0.82 grams, 15 mm



Acquired on the European art market in the late 1960s-early 1970s.

Comprising: a bell; fire steel; fish arrow point; tanged 'fork'; ram's head mount; together with other miscellaneous items. 368 grams total, 4.3-12.5 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

Comprising complete and incomplete artefacts of various types from a range of time periods, including: chapes; buttons; pendants; keys; fitting and other items. many displaying decorative motifs. 464 grams total, 11-88 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

The gammadion motif to the oval bezel, set against an enamelled field; the small hoop with a break. 1.75 grams, 14.14 mm overall, 10.02 mm internal diameter



Private collection formed since the 1940s. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.

Comprising a circular medallion from an architectural frieze, representing a mask crowned by vegetable curls and volutes, the edges marked with a double line. 1 kg, 19.5 cm



Acquired from Millon Arts D'Orient. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

The medallion partially corresponds to some faces visible on the clay antefixes on the temple of Isis in Pompeii. The antefix was a roof covering element placed on the end of roof beams or as an occlusion of the terminal channels of the tiles in Greek, Etruscan and Roman buildings.

Comprising: a large fly, together with a number decorated with simple geometric ornament; pins absent. 85 grams total, 37-74 mm



Found Norfolk, Essex, and Wiltshire, UK. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.

Modelled standing nude with stylised anatomical detailing, stylised wings on the head, right hand shrouded beneath a flattened area with horizontal grooves holding the purse, the other clenched into a fist. 43 grams, 59 mm

Fine condition.

Acquired 1970s. Ex UK collection. Property of a Hampshire, UK gentleman.

Likely an ex-voto figure representing Mercury (Greek Hermes) holding a purse, clearly offered by someone to ask or give thanks for successful vows.