Auction Highlights
-
Egyptian Wooden Stela for Pa-di-Amun-(em)-ipat with Ra-Horakhty
Sold for (Inc. bp): £15,600
Arch-topped and composed of two vertical boards, coated with gesso and skilfully painted on one side; the lunette decorated with a winged sun-disc and two pendant uraei; the central vignette depicting the deceased worshipping the falcon-headed god Ra-Horakhty with the Four Sons of Horus standing behind, each with their name written above; the lower register with six lines of hieroglyphic text providing an offering formula for the benefit of the deceased: Transliteration of the hieroglyphs: 1) ḥtp-dı-͗nsw rꜤ-ḥr-Ꜣḫtı͗nṯr Ꜥ nb pt sḥḏ [.....] wsır͗ ẖntt [ım͗ntt?] 2) nṯr Ꜥ nb Ꜣbḏw dı⸗͗f pr.t-ḫrw t ḥnḳt kꜢ Ꜣpd [....] ḫt nb(t) (n) fr(t) wꜢbt […] 3) ḫt nbt nḏm dı⸗͗f ḥtpw ḏfꜢw [...]f ḫꜢ m t dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ m 4) ḥnḳt dı⸗͗f ẖꜢ ır͗p [...] dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ m ı͗[...] dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ ı(͗Ꜣ)r(r)t dı⸗͗f 5) m snṯr ḥr ḫꜢwt [...] ḳrs nfr ḥr ım͗nt nfr 6) n [..] wsır͗ [......] pꜢ-dı-͗ım͗n(m) ıp͗ Ꜣ.t ms (n) ḫꜢ [....] Translation: 1) An offering that the king and Ra-Horakhty, Great God, Lord of Heaven, the illuminated [...] Osiris Foremost [of the West?] 2) Great God, Lord of Abydos (that) he may give a voice-offering (of) bread, beer, oxen, and fowl […] everything good and pure […] 3) everything sweet, he gives offerings of provisions […] a thousand of bread, he gives a thousand of 4) beer, he gives a thousand of wine […], he gives a thousand of vines, he gives a thousand of 5) incense on the altar […] a good burial in the beautiful West 6) for […] the Osiris[…] Pa-di-Amun-(em)-ipat born (to) Kha[…]; on the verso, an old handwritten collection label reading: 'From Harding & Sm[ith] Collection Sale Sotheby 2 Nov 1922 L.N. 234. A families[sic] stele, arched top, with the deceased worshipping a standing Horus attended by the four Children of Horus and six horizontal lines of inscription in colour. SP/10a'; mounted in a custom-made wooden frame. -
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Figure of Eros
Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,850
Depicted nude in a dynamic pose with his legs apart and the weight of the body upon his right leg, standing in front of a two storey structure, probably an oven; his left arm raised and right arm extended in front of his torso and resting on the edge of the structure; the oven painted pink at the top and white at the bottom with an offering receptacle at floor level. -
Egyptian Indurated Limestone Frog-Shaped Cosmetic Vessel
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,750
Squat ovoid in profile, modelled with the legs folded beneath the body, with hollow socket eyes, flared rim to mouth; copper lug on either side. -
Attic Black-Figure Neck-Amphora with Gorgon and Quadriga Attributed to the Swing Painter
Sold for (Inc. bp): £41,600
With inverted echinus lip and tall neck, a ribbed handle to each side with coiling lotus buds and palmettes beneath the handles; Side a) a running winged Gorgon depicted frontally, dressed in a black and red chiton; Side b) an aristocratic warrior wearing a Chalcidian helmet and driving a quadriga, the two central horses superimposed, the other two turned outward; a frieze of lotus buds and a band Greek key motifs below, the neck decorated with red and black palmettes, and elongated lotus blossoms; restored. -
Attic Red-Figure Bell Krater with Drunken Male Revellers Attributed to the Kadmos Painter
Sold for (Inc. bp): £32,500
With a high foot, laurel wreath encircling the neck, checkerboard and meander patterns alternating around the lower body, roundels of tongue motif to the handles with palmettes and tendrils below; two red-figure scenes to the body: Side a: a high-quality depiction of a kōmos composed of five figures, including a young man holding a torch, a double flute player next to three dancers, all possibly followers of Dionysus; Side b: three draped figures conversing comprising a central female figure between two opposed male figures, one holding a staff; two old labels: one with 3061-133 on the inner rim, and 113/2 (believed to be an old Christie's lot label from the 1960s by Richard Falkiner) on the sidewall, further old accession numbers 321 and 35 under the base. -
Hellenistic Gold Ring with Galley Gemstone
Sold for (Inc. bp): £29,900
With D-section hollow-formed hoop and flared ellipsoid bezel, set with a Roman intaglio depicting a war galley under sail. -
Roman 'Published' Terracotta Oil Lamp with Fighting Gladiators
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Grey fabric, broad discus with concentric rings and chamfered shoulder, short nozzle flanked by volute scrolls; scene of two murmillo gladiators in combat, one having fallen to the ground; maker's stamp to the underside 'MAR[..]S'; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Roman Inked Wooden Tablet for a Contract Between Bassus and Neronianus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £15,600
A reused tablet with a recessed panel on one side, the last tablet of a legal document which consisted of two (diptychon) or three tablets (triptychon); ten black inked lines of New Roman cursive script, the end of a record of a transaction in formulaic legal language, probably a sales contract, between the buyer (emptor) Bassus and a person called Neronianus; traces of text (perhaps in rustic capitals) to the reverse. -
Roman Marble Head of Hercules Wearing the Nemean Lion Skin
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800
Modelled with naturalistic features, gazing left, sculpted pupils and strong lids; luxuriant beard and moustache framing the face; strong forehead with tightly formed curls emerging from beneath the lion's skin hood; the hood with clear eye detailing and the mane with regularly arranged tufts; original iron pin to the front of the muzzle; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Roman Marble Head of Dionysus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £23,400
From a Greek original, wearing a crown of leaves and corymbs, hair falling in straight lines underneath the diadem; full beard composed of four rows of thick tufts with drilled holes; slightly open mouth with a fleshy lower lip; low cheekbones and hollow cheeks; large almond-shaped eyes with lachrymal duct; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
'The Anglesey' Romano-British Marble Head of a Celtic Warrior
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,150
Carved with comma-leaf detailing to the hair, a low brow over almond-shaped eyes, broad triangular nose and thick moustache obscuring the mouth; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Proto-Sumerian Terracotta Tablet with Archaic Text
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
Lentoid-section slab with incised grid to each face: one with three columns, impressed roundels and crescents, grid and other symbols; the other face with four columns, each cell filled with marks and symbols. -
Babylonian Cuneiform Tablet, a Clothes Receipt from Puzur-Akum to Astaqar
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
Pillow-shaped clay tablet with cuneiform text to both broad faces and one edge from Garšana (iv/Šu-Sîn 8?), a receipt for various clothing, with several dedications to the deities Ninsiana, Mami, Dadmuštum and Šubula; Dadmuštum is rarely mentioned, reading: '1 tu ba-tab tuh-hu-um 3-kam us 2 1 tu ša -ga-du ba-tab tug-hu-um / 3-kam us 1 tu ta -ki-ru-um 3-kam us 4 dnin- dsi -an-na 4 tu guz-za 4-kam us 6 2 tu guz-za 4-kam us dma-mi x ? 2 tu guz-za 4-kam us / dda-ad-muš-tum R 8 2 tu niĝ -lam 4-kam us dšu-bu-la ki-la -bi 26 1/3 ma-na 10 2 tu bar-dul us-bar 4 tu sag us-bar 12 5 tu us -bar 4 ma-na 3 tu mug 14 ki !-aš-ta -gar -ta puzur -a-ku-um šu ba-ti 16 iti ki-siki- dnin-a-zu mu ma -gur -mah mu-/dim' translation: '1 (simple) garment batab tuhhum (a kind of fabric?), thrice, medium quality 1 garment šagadu (of linen) batab tuhhum thrice, medium quality 1 garment takirum, thrice, medium quality (for) Ninsiana; 4 tufted garments, in quadruple, medium quality 2 tufted garments, in quadruple, medium quality : (for) Mami 2 tufted garments, in quadruple, medium quality : (for) Dadmuštum. 2 niglam garments, in quadruple, medium quality : (for) Šubula Their weight is 26 1/3 mines. 2 bardul garments (from) the weavers 4 garments if first quality (from) the weavers 5 (simple) garments étoffes (from) the weavers : 4 mines 3 garments in coarse wool Puzur-Akum has received (these garments) from Aštaqar. In the month of Kisiki.Ninazu The year in which the big (ceremonial) boat was built'. -
Western Asiatic Ceramic Ibex Rhyton
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800
With trumpet-shaped mouth, ibex-shaped finial with curved horns and legs folded beneath the body, spout to the chest; repaired. -
Celtiberian Gold Neck Torc
Sold for (Inc. bp): £14,950
A heavy penannular neck torc with carinated body and tapering coiled terminals. -
'The Dullingham' Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Great Square-Headed Brooch
Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,120
With trapezoidal headplate, shallow bow, narrow triangular foot and pelta-shaped finial, pin-lugs and catch to the reverse; the headplate with (originally silvered) angled panels to the upper corners and D-shaped lug at the middle of the upper edge; rectangular corner panels interrupting a frieze of Salin's Style I face motifs, inner plain band and raised rectangular panel above the junction with the ribbed bow; lappets of Salin's Style I profile heads flanking the junction of the bow with the footplate and vertical bar running to the finial, bisecting a cruciform panel with Salin's Style I zoomorphic forms, and outer plain lobes; finial comprising a disc with four radiating ribbed arms and central boss, pelta-shaped terminal; cleaned and one lateral lobe reattached. -
'The Driffield' Anglo-Saxon Enamelled Bowl Mount
Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,160
With a slightly domed profile and a raised circumferential border to the upper face; decorated with Celtic designs featuring elaborate curvilinear tendrils and triskele-style swirls enclosing an area of fine-line trumpet spiral designs, set around a central rectangular panel filled with millefiori-style enamel work in the form of an irregular chequerboard of blue and yellow enamel, the circular recesses retaining red enamel traces; two parallel rivets to the reverse. -
'The Ferryhill' Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Three-Dimensional Urnes Stirrup-Type Mount with Head of Odin
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100
A bowed anthropomorphic mount in the form of the face of Odin, with oval right and damaged left eye, beard and hair raised to form a convex shape, rounded cheeks, a triangular nose and a beard, moustache with lateral protrusion, the hair openwork and formed of entwined linear elements, five rivet holes present. -
Medieval Decorated 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart' Posy Boxwood Comb
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100
Central panel decorated with a heart pierced by two arrows and inscription: 'qui de bon [COER] eyme', and verso openwork carving of blind interlaces and inscription: 'de bon [COER] donne', translating to 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart'; probably given as a love token. -
Medieval Bronze Aquamanile of a Male Bust
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
Hollow-formed vessel formed as a male bust; discoid body with chamfered shoulder bearing bands of running zigzag detailing and three splayed feet; the head with low-relief hair and rim of bosses with linear spirals, gracile facial features with lentoid eyes and slender nose, small pouting mouth; short spout to the forehead, filler-hole to top of the head with hinged cover; handle to the rear formed as a reptile with head and forepaws placed on the hair below the hinge and joining the base above one of the feet. -
Medieval Limoges Gilt Christ Crowned on the Cross
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,150
Parcel-gilt bronze crucifix with cloisonné enamel geometric ornament; separate appliqué Corpus Christi, crowned with detailed musculature; lower legs and feet absent; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Medieval Chrismatory with Limoges Panels
Sold for (Inc. bp): £22,100
Inner wooden casket with chamfered rim and separate lid, encased within rectangular gilt-bronze panels with enamel decoration, four gilt-bronze stud feet to the underside; the lid with three nimbate figures, a female saint with palm frond and two flanking figures holding books, all reserved on a blue field with interstitial polychrome rosettes; Side A: nimbate bearded bust of Christ in Majesty with right hand in gesture of benison, left hand supporting a book, flanked by two winged nimbate angels; Side B: nimbate bust of a winged angel in a roundel; Side C: geometric repeating pattern of lozenges with floral fill; Side D: mirror image of Side B. -
Medieval Gold Heraldic Signet Ring with Goat
Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600
Substantial D-section hoop, expanding shoulders with reserved flowers and foliage, discoid bezel with intaglio regardant leaping goat in a pelletted ring, fronds and stars in the field, enigmatic inscription 'd[..] / de.to'. -
Medieval Bronze Corpus Christi
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13,650
With flat-topped crown, hair hanging in hanks to the shoulders, long D-shaped face with domed eyes, slender figure with ribs emphasised, knee-length loincloth falling in rippling folds; mounted on a custom-made stand.
-
Numismatic Books - Andrew - A Numismatic History of the Reign of Henry I 1901 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
W.J. Andrew - A Numismatic History of the Reign of Henry I (1100-135) - King & Son, London, 1901 - hardback, cloth covers, gold titling to spine - 515 pp, 8 plates. 1 kg, 23 x 16 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Lelewel - Numismatique du Moyen-Age 1835 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Joachim Lelewel - Numismatique du Moyen-Age Considérée sous le rapport du Type - Atlas - Straszewicz, Paris, 1835 - hardback with leather spine and marbled boards, gold block titling to spine - 25 plate on 24 sheets, hand-coloured map. 543 grams, 29 x 23 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - The Coin Chart Manual 1854 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
The Coin Chart Manual - New York, 1854 - card covers rebound as hardback, cloth covers, gold titling - 48 plates. 214 grams, 25 x 17 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Carlyon-Britton - On the Coins of William I and II and the Sequence of the Types 1902 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
P.W.P. Carlyon-Britton - On the Coins of William I and II and the Sequence of the Types - London, 1902 - hardback, cloth covers, gold titling to spine and front - 50pp, text figures; offprint from Numismatic Chronicle, 4th Series, Vol.II pp.208-223. 362 grams, 22.5 x 15 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - British Metallic Coins and Tradesmen's Tokens with Their Value 1912 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
G.C.K. - British Metallic Coins and Tradesmen's Tokens with Their Value - privately published, Chichester, 1912 - hardback, marbled covers and leather spine with gold titling (rebound) - 191 pp; ink and pencil notations, pencil rubbings. 377 grams, 22.2 x 14.5 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Roman Coins and Their Values Volumes I-IV 21st century A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Sear, D.S., - Roman Coins and Their Values, vols. I - IV - London, hardback with dustjackets. 4.59 kg total, 22.2 x 14.5 cm each
Property of a North London, UK, gentleman. -
Numismatic Books - Hawkins, Franks & Gruber - Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland to the death of George II, 2 vols 1885 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Hawkins, E., Franks, A.W. and Grueber, H.A., Medallic Illustrations of the History of Great Britain and Ireland to the death of George II, 2 vols, London, 1885, 724 + 866pp (Manville 515) [2]. Publishers’ brown cloth, spines gilt; some pencil checkmarks in a 19th century hand, otherwise a clean set, vol. I with illustrated 5pp article from The Connoisseur, August 1903, entitled Stuart Medals and Royalist Badges, by P. Berney-Ficklin, and vol. II with ALS from H.A. Grueber to Mr Berney-Ficklin, 13 July 1904, bound in at p.181, and referring to the Peace of Ryswick medal, M.I. II, 181/476; ex libris Philip Berney-Ficklin. 3.52 kg total, 24.5 x 17 cm each
Ex libris Philip Berney-Ficklin. Property of a Kent, UK, collector.
Philip Berney-Ficklin, FSA (1849-1917), of Tasburgh Hall, Norwich; his collection of Stuart badges and medals, many of which were acquired at the Montagu sale in May 1897, was sold by Sotheby’s in November 1921. -
Numismatic Books - Louveau d'Orleans - Epitome Du Thresor des Antiquitez 1553 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £247
Jean Louveau d'Orleans (trans.) - Epitome Du Thresor des Antiquitez - Jacques de Strada & Thomas Guerin, Paris, 1553 - hardback, full leather binding with gold blocking and titling to spine - 420 pp, text figures - first 23 pages with repair to bottom right corner and text restored, cover chipped and worn. 791 grams, 24 x 17 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Robertson - A Handbook to the Coinage of Scotland 1878 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
J. D. Robertson - A Handbook to the Coinage of Scotland - George Bell & Sons, London, 1878, first edition - hardback, cloth covers (later library binding) - 146 pp, text figures. 594 grams, 21.5 x 17 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Imitations Des Monnaies Au Type Esterlin Frappées en Europe 1871 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
J. Chautard - Imitations Des Monnaies Au Type Esterlin Frappées en Europe - Sordoillet et Fils, Nancy, 1871 - hardback, marbled boards and leather spine with labels, gold titling, marbled endpapers - 484 pp, 36 plates. 1.08 kg, 22 x 15 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Descriptive Catalogue of a Cabinet of Roman Family Coins Belonging to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland 1856 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
William Henry Smith - Descriptive Catalogue of a Cabinet of Roman Family Coins Belonging to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland - privately printed, 1856 - hardback, marbled boards in quarter-calf binding with label to spine - 323 pp; inscribed to frontispiece 'With the Duke of Northumberland's Compliments'. 1.69 kg, 31 x 24.2 cm
Property of a Kent, UK, collector. -
Numismatic Books - Lianta - Late Byzantine Coins 2009 A.D.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Lianta, E., Late Byzantine Coins 1204-1453 in the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Spink, London, hardback with dust-wrapper, 335 pp, monochrome images. 1.1 kg, 25.5 x 19.5cm.
Unused.
Property of a North London, UK, gentleman.