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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Written over two faces; lentoid cross-section.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The head covered by a small low-top cap; sharp and pronounced nose, prominent eyebrows and eyes, small swollen mouth; the hair divided into two braids; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 55.8 grams total, 91 mm including stand



Ex Frank Sternberg collection, Zürich, Switzerland, circa 1980-1985. Property of an East Sussex, UK, private collector.

Despite being stylised representations, these bronzes detail the material culture of warriors, tribal leaders, priests, athletes, men and women of the late Bronze Age and Iron Age Sardinian society.

Modelled as a skinned lion's head with fierce facial detailing; made for soldering to an articulated round handle. 98 grams, 51 mm high



Private collection, Germany, 1980s. Acquired on the UK art market 2010.

The handles were usually shaped as divinities or animals linked with gods (ie. lions for Herakles). A similar specimen can be seen in the Berlin Museum (inv.7491), from Athens.

Formed as the skinned head and forepaws of a lion, together with two lateral handles with fastening holes surmounted by a pearled edge. 159 grams, 80 mm



Acquired on the UK art market 2000s.

The handle appears to be a device once attached to a wine vessel or pan-like vessels. The vessel handles were usually formed as divinities or animals linked with gods (ie. lions for Herakles). The lion's skin is hanging down as in representations of Herakles resting and drinking after his labours.

With thick ribbed neck, crescent horns and prominent genitals; mounted on a custom-made stand. 141 grams total, 86 mm wide including stand



From the collection of D. Smith, Sussex, UK, 1990s.

Like dozens of similar statuettes depicting animals or human figures, this bronze bull was probably offered by a worshipper during a sacrifice. A large number of statuettes were found in a thick layer of ash from the altar of Zeus at Olympia. In 2021, a similar statuette, with protruding horns, was found in the sanctuary. Bulls and horses were the favourite cultic animals in the Cretan, Achaean and Archaic Greek civilisations. The model of the long and narrow body was borrowed from the Near East.

With shoulder and belly encircled by two notched ribs, by two friezes with later carefully-incised, elongated animals (stag, snake, winged panther, horse, lion), restored. 740 grams, 25.5 cm



Late W.H. collection. With Kunst der Antike, Munich, Germany, 1977. Ex Gorny & Mosch, 16 December 2008, lot 261. with Artemission, London, UK. Property of a South Australian private collector, with collection reference 21.09. Accompanied by detailed collector's catalogue pages including description and photograph.

Blackware vessel comprising a broad bowl with frieze of animals (boar, lion, sphinx, horse); trumpet-shaped base with supporting caryatid; some restoration. 502 grams, 17 cm high



From the Steel family collection, 1950s-late 1990s.

The buff, capsule-shaped body with a tapering shoulder and pronounced rim, knop-shaped foot and remains of glaze to the mouth. 4.1 kg, 42.5 cm



London, UK, gallery, 1971-early 2000s.

With stepped foot and two loop handles to the rim, egg-and-dart border; Side A: female in loosely draped robe with fringe borders holding one corner of her robe in her raised left hand and advancing towards a male wearing a tight-fitting jacket and flared skirt, cap with straps flung wide; Side B: similar scene with the female standing with one hand on her hip, the male in the act of dancing; volute scroll beneath each handle. 1.02 kg, 30.5 cm wide



Ex P.A., Hertfordshire, UK, specialist collection of Greek art, 1980-1990s. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.N123n52 from Oxford Authentication. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11952-210225.

With rounded loop handles with elaborate palmettes below, pedestal foot; Side A with nude Eros flying left, holding a dish in his right hand; Side B with a standing female (Psyche?) waiting for Eros and offering a wreath with her left hand, dressed in a flowing peplos, a small altar before. 90 grams, 27 cm wide



Ex Barnard & Moore, 2003. From a Norfolk, UK, private collection. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.N123k4 from Oxford Authentication. Accompanied by an old Moore Antiquities identification card with reference no.1958 and invoice dated 26 July 2003. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.11918-205900.

The Iliupersis Painter was a south Italic Greek vase painter whose name is unknown. The name derives from a represented scene in a volute crater in the British Museum depicting the sacking of Troy (Iliou Persis). The characteristic pillar-shaped monument depicted here can be seen also on the MET hydria, where the closed foot of the woman corresponds in detail to the one on our vase. The Iliupersis Painter was a prolific and innovative artist, active just before mid 4th century B.C., whose work set the standard for the large, ornate-style vases of the second half of the same century: volute-kraters with plastic masks on the volutes, increased polychromy, complex floral ornament, multilevel compositions, mourners surrounding funerary naiskoi and stelei.

Formed as a spiral D-section rod with waisted profile, hatched and notched ornament to the edges. 685 grams, 11.5 cm



Private Swiss collection, acquired 2002.

Tall vessel with dished underside, elegant carination at the shoulder, rolled rim; lateral vertical seams each covered by an applied rivetted strip, with remains of handle below the shoulder. 1.56 kg, 26 cm high



Ex Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, Germany [1944-2001], AG 490. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11953-210857.

With tiered foot, thick rim and ribbed upper face; old collector's ticket number '206'. 325 grams, 16 cm wide



From the collection of Louis-Gabriel Bellon (1819-1899), Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras and Rouen, thence by descent. with Millon & Associes Auctions, Paris, 6th December 2021, lot 29.