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Auction Highlights

  • Egyptian Relief with List of Offerings
    Egyptian Relief with List of Offerings

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £18,200

    A section of tomb wall with a central register of eight rectangular panels each containing hieroglyphs naming offerings for the deceased; the top and bottom groups of eight rectangular panels each contain a depiction of a kneeling offering-bearer; all carved in high-relief; mounted on a custom-made display stand.





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  • Greek Red-Figure Hydria with Combat Scene Between Amazons and Greek or Trojan Heroes
    Greek Red-Figure Hydria with Combat Scene Between Amazons and Greek or Trojan Heroes

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800

    The vessel with integral round-section upward-facing handles, a third, round-section handle placed vertically between shoulder and upper neck to rear; laurel sprigs to the neck with traces of gilding; combat scene with Amazons (and Trojans?) below, armed with short swords and crescent shields, most wearing an exomis leaving the shoulder and one breast uncovered; volute palmettes below both side-handles, a panel of tiered and swirling volutes to the rear, all on a band of egg-moulding, repeated around the rim; possibly Apulian or Campanian; restored.





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  • Greek Silver Wine Strainer
    Greek Silver Wine Strainer

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £16,900

    Composed of a shallow bowl and broad flange rim, two integral scalloped handles with scrolled flourishes, tapering to a loop handle with swan head terminals each with incised eye and beak detailing; perforated whirl within roundel to interior base; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.





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  • Eastern Roman Bust of the Daughter of Aqima
    Eastern Roman Bust of the Daughter of Aqima

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £37,700

    Modelled in the round with a fragment of stand to the rear; the figure carefully carved to exhibit the delicate facial features and elaborate hairstyle; the palla drawn up over the head and falling over the shoulders to the upper arms; a diadem to the brow with foliage and tendril detailing; elaborate earrings with dangles; necklace of fusiform and tubular beads and a longer one below with piriform plaques; large disc brooch to the left breast with dangles; peplos-style dress draped across the body beneath the palla; left arm bent and hand passing across the body to grasp the hem of the palla with a herringbone bracelet at the wrist; the palla displayed pinned with rosettes to the rear panel; with inscription of thirteen Palmyrene characters above the left shoulder 'NRW' // BRT // 'QM' // ḤBL' meaning 'daughter of Aqima'; traces of red and green pigment; mounted on a custom-made stand by Colin Bowles Ltd.





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  • Eastern Roman Mosaic Depicting a Bird
    Eastern Roman Mosaic Depicting a Bird

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,860

    In a rectangular matrix; cream, olive, pink and other tesserae depicting a bird advancing with head bowed, with banded frame.





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  • Roman Marble Head of a Germanic Warrior
    Roman Marble Head of a Germanic Warrior

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600

    Modelled naturalistically in the round, directing his gaze upwards left, the eyes with sculpted pupils originally decorated with stone insertions, his face framed by voluminous short curls swept up off the forehead, sideburns and a moustache.





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  • Eastern Roman Mosaic Depicting a Bird
    Eastern Roman Mosaic Depicting a Bird

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,860

    In a rectangular matrix; cream, olive, pink and other tesserae depicting a perching bird with rosette above.





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  • Monumental Byzantine Limestone Chi Rho Roundel
    Monumental Byzantine Limestone Chi Rho Roundel

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £36,400

    Divided into six sections by Christogram letters chi and rho, two of the segments with Greek letters alpha and omega, the other four segments with floral ornaments; a laurel wreath to the edge; mounted on a custom-made display stand.





    Lot Details

  • Old Babylonian Clay Cuneiform Tablet, a Letter From a Local Governor in Arrapha to His Colleague in Ešnunna,
    Old Babylonian Clay Cuneiform Tablet, a Letter From a Local Governor in Arrapha to His Colleague in Ešnunna,

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,450

    Written across two principal faces and three side edges, reading: 1-2) Say to Zakur-ahum, thus says Uzazza, your brother. 3) I have read the tablet you sent me. You wrote to me as follows: 4-5)'Five nomadic Suteans plundered the district of Zippat and I sent a troop. 6-7) I drove them back. I prevented them from taking anything. 7-8) So this troop left empty-handed. It is to be feared that they will go to the land of Arrapha and raise havoc, take action!' 11) This is what you wrote to me, and I rejoiced greatly. 12) In your tablet is written:'500 nomadic Suteans'. 13) Now, your servants whom you sent to me told me this: 14) 'A troop of 1,500 men has come. 15) Among them were many men with bows.'16 This is what they told me. Now never 17) have there been archers among the nomad-Suteans. 18) Is it not to be feared that the heavily-equipped 19) part of a foreign army is here itself comprising the nomad-Suteans with their bows? 20) The (result of the) divination I found said: 'Fire will devour the base of the reed.' 21) [...] its ... will not reach me. 22-23) [Now], shall I rejoice over the heavily equipped troop (that is) there? 24) [...]. 25-26) Now investigate this troop. 26-27) Send a full report urgently one way or the other, 28-29) so that I may circulate [a swift messenger] so that 29-30) the whole country may be gathered [in my fortresses] and so that I may take action. 31-33) Moreover, earlier, nomadic Suteans assaulted the palace cowherds one evening and 33-34) carried away all the cows from the palace. They left nothing behind. 35-36) There are none left, including the cows they had been entrusted with that evening. The next day, 37) a rescue troop (sent) by Ašrum, in pursuit of them 38) went as far as the banks of the Euphrates, but 39 returned empty-handed. 39) Another thing, 40) concerning what you wrote to me: 41-42) 'Looters set up a siege instrument- kalbanatum against a fortified farm and killed people. In addition, they carried off ten oxen. 43) And Ašrum went in there. Check that 44 their oxen no longer disappear.' This is what you wrote to me. 45-46) Now, shall I rejoice in this matter, or shall I [not] [...] them [...]. 47-48) Now, is there a plunderer who can plunder on my watch? Now, when I hear (about them) 49-50) and as soon as I send a message, do I not put them on the pal? No doubt 51-52) these people are foreigners, but you consider them to be Arrapha inhabitants! Now, precisely according to what you've written to me, 53-54) I'm going to send a fast messenger to the very interior of Arrapha and carry out a check. ; repaired.





    Lot Details

  • Uruk Clay Pictographic Tablet Bearing an Economic Text Relating to Farm Produce
    Uruk Clay Pictographic Tablet Bearing an Economic Text Relating to Farm Produce

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100

    Written over two faces; lentoid cross-section.





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  • Italic Bronze Triple-Disc Cuirass
    Italic Bronze Triple-Disc Cuirass

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,360

    Matched pair of Samnite triangular breast and backplates, a suite of 'triple-disc' type, each with three repoussé panels with carinated rim, flat spandrel above and curved on the lower sides, with perforated edges to affix to a separate mail garment; rivetted loops to the shoulders for attachment of supporting straps, and similar lateral loops with portion of round-link chain in situ; mounted on a custom-made stand.





    Lot Details

  • Roman Bronze Legionary Helmet with Inscription
    Roman Bronze Legionary Helmet with Inscription

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100

    Montefortino helmet with bulbous domed skull and a plain crest knob with flattened top; plain and flat neck guard with thickened rim; the front with punched Latin inscription 'A N CFN'; the surface largely covered in marine encrustations; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.





    Lot Details

  • Exceptional Neolithic Flint Dagger
    Exceptional Neolithic Flint Dagger

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,980

    Finely knapped lentoid-section dagger with lateral recesses and square butt; old collector's label '281'.





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  • Massive Stone Age British Bifacial Lanceolate Flint Handaxe
    Massive Stone Age British Bifacial Lanceolate Flint Handaxe

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £10,400

    Long blade with small portion of cortex at the upper end, sharply tapering point with edges worked from both sides.





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  • Viking Age or Earlier Hacked Gold Trade Ingot
    Viking Age or Earlier Hacked Gold Trade Ingot

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,120

    A slightly bent irregular bar of hacked gold with rectangular cross-section, showing evidence of compression and fracture to each end, some subtle transverse lines on both of the main surfaces.





    Lot Details

  • Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Three-Dimensional Urnes Stirrup Apex Mount
    Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Three-Dimensional Urnes Stirrup Apex Mount

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500

    The substantial heater-shaped plaque with spectacular openwork Urnes style design, the standing beast with entwined tendrils, pronounced head at the apex, narrow ledge to the reverse and rivet holes to each corner with two rivets remaining.





    Lot Details

  • Medieval Glass Beaker with Prunts
    Medieval Glass Beaker with Prunts

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800

    Of tubular form with flared rim and applied collar to the foot, applied trails to the sidewall and four rows of prunts with applied blue-glass ornament.





    Lot Details

  • Medieval Gold Ring Set with Gemstones
    Medieval Gold Ring Set with Gemstones

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,160

    With a slender D-section hoop, bevelled rectangular cell set with a garnet cabochon; satellite settings at the corners, each with a green cabochon (one absent), the ring preserved in the same condition as it was when found.





    Lot Details

  • The Fressingfield Medieval Gold Ring with Diamond
    'The Fressingfield' Medieval Gold Ring with Diamond

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,860

    With plain circular hoop and square diamond-shaped bezel with replicant natural diamond crystal.





    Lot Details

  • The Wingham Gold Fortune Favours the Brave Posy Ring
    'The Wingham' Gold 'Fortune Favours the Brave' Posy Ring

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080

    Broadly rectangular in cross-section and constructed from two sheets of gold; the external hoop carrying an etched decorative design comprised of a row of eight-armed stars in relief with a prominent horizontal line connecting the stars; the internal hoop with Latin inscription in block capitals reading '+FORTES FORTVNA IVVAT' translating to 'fortune favours the brave/strong'; straightened.





    Lot Details

  • Roman British Decorated Bronze Crossbow Brooch
    Roman 'British' Decorated Bronze Crossbow Brooch
    4th-5th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £169

    With onion-knop terminals, carinated bow with a band of diagonal line decoration; the footplate with ring-and-dot decoration to each end, flanking a central linear decoration; pin and catch-plate to reverse. 55 grams, 89 mm



    Found UK. Acquired from Alan Cherry at the Birmingham Coin Fair, 2003. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman. Accompanied by an identification card.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Leicestershire Decorated Redware Sherd Collection
    Roman 'Leicestershire' Decorated Redware Sherd Collection
    3rd-4th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £85

    All with low-relief vegetal and geometric motifs, one with a standing figure facing right. 169 grams total, 27-65 mm



    Acquired from a private collector in 2004. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Lead Plaque with Figures
    Roman Lead Plaque with Figures
    2nd century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £85

    Obverse with a beaded border and one loop enclosing an image of three figures: at the centre Minerva wearing a crested helmet and with a shield at her feet, on the left Abundantia with a frond in her bent arm, on the right Mercury with cap and caduceus; reverse with concentric rings. 11.1 grams, 40 mm



    Private collection, 1980s. From the collection of a London antiquarian.

    The lead medallions were worn as elements of protection from the gods represented on them, but also used by soldiers as seals. Several lead medallions with images of emperors, male deities (Mars), military heads and imperial initials were found in the military chancellery of Carnuntum. The presence of loops on our specimen points to its use as a prophylactic medallion.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Terracotta Wine Flagon
    Roman Terracotta Wine Flagon
    Circa 1st-2nd century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £221

    With globular body, thick basal ring, tall columnar neck with biconical collar, single strap handle to the rear. 360 grams, 15.3 cm



    From the collection of a High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman, circa 2000.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Silver Ring with Isis Gemstone
    Roman Silver Ring with Isis Gemstone
    1st century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £338

    Ellipsoid cell to the bezel, inset carnelian gemstone with intaglio Isis standing by the curved prow of a boat holding a sistrum in her raised hand. 5.53 grams, 23.13 mm overall, 17.36 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N 1/2, USA 6 3/4, Europe 14.35, Japan 13)



    Old private collection, 1980s. European art market.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Terracotta Vessel Collection
    Roman Terracotta Vessel Collection
    Circa 1st-4th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £52

    Comprising a small chalice-shaped vessel with tall foot and three shallow miniature platters. 78 grams total, 34-54 mm



    Property of a UK gentleman, acquired in the 1970s. Property of an East Sussex, UK, gentleman.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Iridescent Pale Blue Glass Trulla
    Roman Iridescent Pale Blue Glass Trulla
    3rd-4th century A.D. or later

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £650

    With an aqua-coloured hemispherical bowl and dark blue glass rim and handle with raised knops to the neck, the bowl with moulded lozengiform 'net' motif with kick-up to base surrounded by a moulded rosette; iridescent surfaces; handle repaired. 88 grams, 19 cm



    Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Fresco Painted Wall Plaster Collection
    Roman Fresco Painted Wall Plaster Collection
    1st century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £208

    Comprising five pieces in red, blue and orange with tendrils and linear decoration painted in contrasting colours. 672 grams total, 6.5-10.3 cm



    Acquired in the 19th century. Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Artefact Collection
    Roman Artefact Collection
    1st-4th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £39

    The group comprising: a bronze handle or a furniture mount with ribbed body and looped terminals; a lead disc with Roman numerals 'VII' in two lines; a whetstone and two moulded stone fragments. 118 grams total, 23-88 mm



    Found Nottinghamshire, UK. Acquired from Ancient & Oriental in 2003. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Bronze Hermes Figure
    Roman Bronze Hermes Figure
    2nd-3rd century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £169

    Modelled standing, holding a caduceus and a coin bag, wearing a winged petasos. 38.5 grams, 61 mm



    Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Coin and Limited Edition Framed Print
    Roman Coin and Limited Edition Framed Print
    3rd century A.D. and later

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £33

    The coin mounted on 22 carat gold foil, framed with an art print signed by the artist David McAllister, depicting scenes of Roman military activity; limited edition number 175/1150. 1.24 kg total, 49.5 x 37.5 cm



    UK gallery, early 2000s. Accompanied by an old certificate of authenticity.

    David McAllister's exciting design is a 'one of a kind' work that portrays the might and riches of the Roman civilisation. This limited edition print is a celebration of the award winning artist's lifetime dedication to historical paintings of the ancient world. To enhance appreciation of this rare and historic work, each individual print is signed and numbered by the artist.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Thames Leather Marching Shoe Sole Group
    Roman 'Thames' Leather Marching Shoe Sole Group
    1st-4th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300

    With perforations for attachment to the shoe uppers through nails; one fragmentary. 248 grams total, 22.5-24.5 cm



    Found by Steve Brooker on the Thames foreshore at Embankment, London, UK, 2001. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.

    Waterlogged conditions on the Thames waterfront have created the oxygen-free environment needed for the survival of ancient organic artefacts. Among the studied or published Roman leatherwork from London, 89% is composed of footwear. The introduction of vegetable tanned leather and the expansion of ironworking were some of the major technological innovations of the Roman period; allowing the mass production of sturdy, hobnailed shoes.

    Lot Details


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