Auction Highlights
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Egyptian Granite Head of a Dignitary
Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600
Carved with soft facial features and carefully executed cosmetic lines around the eye, earring, and carefully detailed duplex wig with gently wavy curls; likely from the Ramesside Period; mounted on a custom-made stand. -
Etruscan Bronze Statuette of Herakles
Sold for (Inc. bp): £18,200
Modelled in the round with a muscular nude body, his club resting on his shoulder and the hair dressed in rows of tight, close-set curls underneath the Nemean lionskin hood with cloak billowing over his left arm, the paws tied across his chest; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Roman Marble Portrait of a Boy as Worshipper of Isis
Sold for (Inc. bp): £17,550
Carved head of a prepubescent worshipper of Isis, with soft facial features, long nose, small downturned mouth, heavy-lidded eyes, the whole giving the face a sombre or mournful appearance; the hair textured to indicate a short cut and combed forward across the scalp, sidelock above the right ear; mounted on a 16th century carved breccia upper body with leather cuirass and pteruges to right shoulder, cloak draped across the shoulders and fastened at the clavicle on the right side with a disc-brooch; socle base; some restoration. -
Larger Than Life-Size Roman Bronze Sandaled Foot
Sold for (Inc. bp): £39,000
Modelled in the round and originally part of a monumental statue, the naturalistic right foot encased in a trochades leather sandal with median reversed tongue secured with side straps and thick looped laces; the thick platform sole slightly curved, toes and nails well defined; mounted on a substantial custom-made display stand. -
Life-Size Roman Marble Sleeping Girl from a Sarcophagus Lid
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20,800
Modelled in the half-round, nude with eyelids half-closed in sleep; a drapery partly covering the head and wrapping around the lower body under the hips; the hairstyle similar to those of the Antonine Dynasty, the peaceful face supported by the hands and the ear pierced to accept an earring; iron reinforcing rod to the feet and the right arm's armilla a later replacement; upper head restored in Parian marble. -
Byzantine Porphyry Relief with Cross Surrounded by Two Birds
Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600
An imposing panel divided to four sections by a central cross on a stepped pedestal, the lower and upper arm with branch-like extensions; the upper quadrants with a circlet surrounding a palm tree-shaped motif; each lower quadrant with a bird in profile facing back; mounted on a custom-made display stand. -
Carved Marble Memento Mori Skull
Sold for (Inc. bp): £16,900
Carved skull on a short neck with musculature and blood vessels; mandible in place with some teeth in sockets, wisps of hair adhering to the dome of the skull; one zygomatic bone partly absent; square-section socle base. -
'The Kelton' Gandharan Head of a Bodhisattva
Sold for (Inc. bp): £24,700
Carved in the half-round head of a Bodhisattva (probably Maitreya) with fine detailing to the arched brow, aquiline nose, neat moustache and full lips; the eyes heavily lidded, urna to the forehead, long open lobes to the ears; the hair in multi-stranded curling locks gathered into an ushnisha with brow-band below; heavily cleaned, conserved, and mounted on a custom-made stand; supplied with original old wooden base with collector's label: 'Head of Bodhisattva / Fine grain schist / Gandhara, Northwest Pakistan / 4th century'.
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Roman Gold Luna Pendant
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Crescentic gold wire shank with beaded wire to the inner face of the arc applied granules, ribbed suspension loop. 3.53 grams, 21 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Such lunar pendants were worn by girls in ancient Rome as amulets to protect them against evil forces. The equivalent pendant for boys was the bulla. -
Roman Gold Ring with Head of Apollo
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Hollow-formed shank with inset ellipsoid garnet cloison intaglio bust of Apollo with frond and laurel-leaf wreath to the hair. 3.05 grams, 23.01 mm overall, 12.14x15.09 mm internal diameter (approximate size British E, USA 2 1/4, Europe 2.41, Japan 3)
European art market. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12222-222339. -
Roman Gold Ring with Kneeling Soldier Gemstone
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,040
With flared shoulders and ellipsoid cell, inset carnelian intaglio warrior kneeling on a baseline, Pseudo-Corinthian-style helmet pushed back on the head, spear held in one hand the other touching his ankle. 4.73 grams, 17.88 mm overall, 15.40 mm internal diameter (approximate size British H, USA 3 3/4, Europe 6.18, Japan 6)
Acquired on the European art market in the 1990s. UK collection of a European gentleman.
The type is defined from Ruseva-Slokoska as Eastern Influence, widespread in the 2nd-3rd centuries A.D. The scene possibly alludes to the incident in the Trojan Cycle where Achilles is wounded by an arrow in his heel, the only portion of his body which was not impervious to injury. -
Roman Gold Bell-Shaped Earring Pair
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £767
Each a hollow-formed sphere with dimple to the upper edge and discoid plaque extending to an S-curved wire dangle. 7.5 grams total, 28-31 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. -
Roman Gold Pendant with Medusa Cameo
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
Discoid plaque with applied ropework wreath detailing, suspension loop with filigree borders and granule below, inset cameo gorgoneion; ring at bottom for attachment of a securing chain. 5.06 grams, 29 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Gnostic Haematite Magical Gemstone
2nd-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,600
Ellipsoid plaque with chamfered rim; obverse: two animal-headed attendants flank a seated figure in profile mounted on a curved barque, with birds, stars, crescents and other items in the field; reverse: enigmatic legend 'XAYYXYXBA / XVXBAR ** / AZIXVCBXI /
From the collection of magical objects of the late Mr A. Cotton, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12224-222410. -
Roman Carnelian Bust of Mercury Gemstone
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Ellipsoid gemstone with chamfered rim, incuse profile bust of Mercury with wreath in his hair and star to the rear of the neck. 1.27 grams, 18 mm
From an old UK collection, 1980s. -
Roman Gemstone Collection
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,235
Mainly ellipsoid carnelian plaques with incuse designs including standing figure, bird in flight and other types. 4.21 grams total, 8-15 mm
From an old UK collection, 1980s. -
Roman Silver Ring with 'God of War' Gemstone
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,105
With tapering shoulders, inset ellipsoid carnelian intaglio of Mars advancing wearing a Corinthian helmet, carrying a spear and dolabra over one shoulder. 8.06 grams, 21.79 mm overall, 13.64x16.29 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I 1/2, USA 4 1/2, Europe 8.07, Japan 7)
European art market. -
Roman Enamelled Bronze Vessel Lid
2nd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,100
With carinated body and gently inverted lower rim, circumferential frieze displaying 'yellow' and red champlevé enamelled flower heads within foliate roundels, alternating with stylised amphoras and volute scrolls creating heart shapes set against a rich blue field; central projecting stem with hexagonal plate, ornamented with a central domed flower head, amphora and foliate motifs surrounding; two suspension lugs with loops to the perimeter of the lower rim; repaired. 435 grams, 15 cm wide
Acquired from Ariadne Galleries Inc, New York, 30 October 2003. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11622-198955.
Champlevé is a decorative technique which involves cutting cells into a metal surface and filling the void with enamel, using the raised metal borders between the cells to create the design outline. -
Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Erotic Scene
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
With ribbed shoulder and recessed discus, short nozzle with raised volute scrolls, low-relief scene with two lovers. 73 grams, 89 mm
From a London collection of erotica, formerly in the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK. -
Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Erotic Scene
2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,235
With broad discus and long nozzle flanked by volute scrolls, low-relief scene with two lovers on a bed. 44 grams, 95 mm
From a London collection of erotica, formerly in the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK.