Home > Auctions > 5 - 9 December 2023
Ancient Art, Antiquities, Natural History & Coins
Auction Highlights:
.jpg "Egyptian Relief with List of Offerings")
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800
.jpg "Eastern Roman Bust of the Daughter of Aqima")
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100
.jpg "Italic Bronze Triple-Disc Cuirass")
.jpg "Massive Stone Age British Bifacial Lanceolate Flint Handaxe")
.jpg "Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Three-Dimensional Urnes Stirrup Apex Mount")
Comprising an articulated strap, openwork finials with volute scrolls supporting the attachment loop. 17 grams, 87 mm
UK private collection.
Acquired from York Antiques Centre, in 2001.
Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.
UK private collection.
Acquired from York Antiques Centre, in 2001.
Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Flat, piriform type with low-relief saltire to the neck and two loop handles. 16.4 grams, 51 mm
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s.
Property of a Stowmarket, UK, gentleman.
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s.
Property of a Stowmarket, UK, gentleman.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Piriform body with domed filler-hole, decorated with two circumferential bands of circlets; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 351 grams, 96 mm
Acquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Cf. Arendt, W. I., Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p.42; cf. Arendt, W., Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16; the shape finds correspondence with a fire grenade in the Kars Museum, no.14.09.2009.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.
Acquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Cf. Arendt, W. I., Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p.42; cf. Arendt, W., Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16; the shape finds correspondence with a fire grenade in the Kars Museum, no.14.09.2009.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Mixed group of discoid weights with raised rim and impressed detailing. 69 grams total, 11-28 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.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £247
Comprising two beehive-shaped, one oblate, two sub-conical, and three domed whorls; all but one with carved ring-and-dot and line motifs. 30 grams total, 17-23 mm
UK private collection.
Acquired from Redhouse Antiques Centre, York, 2009.
Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.
UK private collection.
Acquired from Redhouse Antiques Centre, York, 2009.
Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Conical with tubular neck and two thin lateral handles. 21.2 grams, 55 mm
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s.
Property of a Stowmarket, UK, gentleman.
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s.
Property of a Stowmarket, UK, gentleman.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
With facetted shoulders, octagonal bezel with incuse border, central dove motif and surrounding Greek legend 'ΗΠΔΟΗΜαΡ'. 10.05 grams, 23.91 mm overall, 19.86 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)
Private collection formed since the 1940s.
UK art market.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Cf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 621, for type.
Private collection formed since the 1940s.
UK art market.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Cf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 621, for type.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Comprising tongue-shaped plaque with three low-relief busts within scrollwork; two pierced lugs on the reverse. 13.5 grams, 40 mm
From a 1990s collection.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Cf. Baldini Lippolis, I., L’oreficeria nell’Impero di Costantinopoli fra il IV e il VII secolo (Goldsmithing in the Empire of Constantinople between the 4th and 7th centuries), Bari, 1999, figs.17-19, p.231, for parallels.
The type belongs to the group of buckles with internal clipeus, according to Baldini-Lippolis. The ‘clipei’ of the belt buckles with figurative motifs show a rather summary rendering of the subjects, which were mainly created by impressing and engraving. Our buckle has a notable parallel with a similar specimen from Baltimore, with a bust of Christ on the clipeus.
From a 1990s collection.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Cf. Baldini Lippolis, I., L’oreficeria nell’Impero di Costantinopoli fra il IV e il VII secolo (Goldsmithing in the Empire of Constantinople between the 4th and 7th centuries), Bari, 1999, figs.17-19, p.231, for parallels.
The type belongs to the group of buckles with internal clipeus, according to Baldini-Lippolis. The ‘clipei’ of the belt buckles with figurative motifs show a rather summary rendering of the subjects, which were mainly created by impressing and engraving. Our buckle has a notable parallel with a similar specimen from Baltimore, with a bust of Christ on the clipeus.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
With an expanding D-section hoop, oval bezel with a stylised stocky bird. 5.52 grams, 21.45 mm overall, 16.15 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L, USA 5 3/4, Europe 11.24, Japan 10)
Private collection formed since the 1940s.
UK art market.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Private collection formed since the 1940s.
UK art market.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
Comprising four weights: one octagonal with remains of an inlaid cross and lettering to one side; a smaller octagonal weight; a round weight with recessed faces, an annulet to one side and a possible letter to the other; a circular weight with one recessed side, boss to the centre and incised symbols on the field. 128 grams total, 25-33 mm
From a 1990s English collection.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
From a 1990s English collection.
Property of an Essex gentleman.
.jpg "Byzantine Bronze Trade Weight Collection")
Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Mixed group of barrel-shaped and biconvex weights with punched pellet markings. 122 grams total, 15-20 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.
Of capsule form, possibly an amulet case; openwork filigree body and domed terminals with apex granules with filigree collars; three suspension loops above, each with a filigree collar. 0.76 grams, 15 mm
From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.
From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.
Page 47 of 201
553 - 564 of 2409 LOTS
553 - 564 of 2409 LOTS
