With bulbous body and trumpet-shaped mouth; bands of rouletting to the sidewall below the shoulder, corrugated profile to the neck and mouth. 369 grams, 18 cm

From a family collection mostly formed in the 1940s-1950s, thence by descent.

Comprising a quatrefoil modelled in high-relief with equal-armed cross to the centre, on a lozengiform base. 42.4 grams, 37 mm

Acquired in the 1980s.
From the collection of a London antiquarian.

With flared and stepped rim and foot; pierced for attachment; carbonised accretion within. 194 grams, 80 mm

From a family collection mostly formed in the 1940s-1950s, thence by descent.

Shallow piriform bowl attached to a stepped baluster, square-section handle with knop finial. 39 grams, 18.1 cm

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

With a D-section hoop expanding at the shoulders, oval bezel with Greek inscription. 4.64 grams, 22.82 mm overall, 19.21 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q 1/2, USA 8 1/4, Europe 18.12, Japan 17)

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Openwork bead or pendant with heart-shaped frame and three domes to the obverse, each formed as a filigree cage; one with cell at the apex and the others with knop finials; granules to the obverse, filigree swirls to the reverse. 2.93 grams, 24 mm

Ex property of a late Japanese collector, 1970-2000s.

Formed as a wire rod in a cruciform design of four looped arms, with tightly-wound wire forming the panels and external loops; suspension loop and ring. 7.1 grams, 63 mm

Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s.
From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.

Comprising two pendants: one a cross pommée with ring-and-dot decoration; the other with bud finials and similar decoration. 9.25 grams total, 32-36 mm

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Cruciform in plan with central quatrefoil flanked on three sides by a disc with rosette fill and lateral lugs. 17.8 grams, 40 mm

Acquired in the 1980s.
From the collection of a London antiquarian.

Comprising a conical body with segmented outer face and loop motifs, biconvex baluster, thick loop; retrograde legend to the underside: '+KE BO / HΘITOV / ΔΟΥΛΟ / ΛΕΟΤΑ (Lord help Leon the servant). 15.6 grams, 25 mm

From the private collection of Mr K.A., acquired in the 1990s-early 2000s.

Rectangular in plan with Δ to obverse, monogram to reverse; one corner pierced for suspension. 16.9 grams, 15 mm

From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

Piriform body with vertical ribs to the body, interstitial panels of impressed foliage ornament, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 573 grams, 14 cm

From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards.

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 is similar with a specimen from British Museum, inventory no. 1882,0720.1 from Bulandshahr, India, in Hildburgh, W.L., ‘Aeolopiles as fire blowers’ in Archaeologia, 94, 1951, pp..27-55, pl.XVI.c.

This piece was a sort of a ceramic fire grenade, similar to the ones used by the Eastern Romans but of Turco-Mongol type. Apart from the use of manual flame-throwers, special corps of soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations, even in Burma.