Choose Category:

Home > Auctions > 4 - 9 March 2025
Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History & Coins

Back to previous page
With concentric rings to the shoulder, discus with low-relief figure seated before a pair of greaves. 28.3 grams, 73 mm

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Discoid with volute scroll border to the outer edge, central raised image of a profile bust of possibly Tiberius within a beaded border; remains of pin-lugs and catchplate to the reverse. 9.47 grams, 32 mm

Acquired on the UK art market before 2000.
Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Lot No. 0980
16
Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
In a crouching posture, the tail curving upwards to a scroll finial. 46.6 grams, 50 mm

Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s.
From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Cf. Christie's, London, A Peaceable Kingdom: The Leo Mildenberg Collection of Ancient Animals, 26th-27th October, 2004, p.184 and p.203, for similar.

Lot No. 0981
3
Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
With tapering tubular shank, pierced at the open end, four tapering integral hooks forming a claw-setting; possibly from a statue, having once held amber. 18.5 grams, 63 mm

Acquired from a UK dealer circa 2004.
Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985.

Accompanied by a laminated identification label.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Lot No. 0982
5
Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Fragments of wall plaster with rendered surface painted with mainly red, blue and white detailing; some with impression of timber laths to the reverse. 770 grams total, 5.2-11.6 cm

Acquired in the 19th century.
Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland.
UK gallery, early 2000s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Cf. Hakanen, V., 'VI Wall Plaster Fragments' in Berg, R., Kuivalainen, I., Domus Pompeiana M. Lucretii, IX,3, 5.24, The inscriptions, Works of Art and Finds from the Old and New Excavations, Vantaa, 2019, pp.196-224, figs.3-4.

These small fragments, for analogies with the fragments of Pompeii, seems to belong to the second style of Roman painting, red panels representing highlight and shadow, decorated with vegetal interlaces. Some panels were probably framed by a red grenade fillet. A fragment shows alternate blue and red colour over a cream background, maybe pertinent to a socle.
A piriform missile with dome filler-hole with impressed teardrop-shaped motifs to the upper body and herringbone pattern to the lower, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 526 grams, 14.5 cm

From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 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'.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

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 Gefäße aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 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.

Comprising a hollow-form missile with domed filler-hole, incised vertical lines to the body, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 567 grams, 13.4 cm

From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 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'.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

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 Gefäße aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid; cf. Ayalon, D., Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 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.

Lot No. 0985
2
Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Discoid with central boss, low-relief rosette ornament, four attachment straps for chain. 18.2 grams, 49 mm

From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Lot No. 0986
12
Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Two cruciform pendants comprising: one a reliquary fragment with nimbate figure; one curved with Corpus Christi. 19.5 grams total, 35-47 mm

Acquired since the late 1980s.
Ex property of a European gentleman living in South Africa.
Property of a Californian, USA, collector.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Shoe-shaped belt plaque with incised lambda on the disc, D-shaped head with pierced lugs to reverse and incised circle containing 'Φ /ΖωΗ/C'. 6.38 grams, 31 mm

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The strap end bears a reference to the words of Jesus: John, 8:12 and 14.6 (I am the light of the world…I am the way and the truth and the life). It is highly possible that the belt was that of an important ecclesiastic Eastern Roman prelate.
Lot No. 0988
5
Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Incised borders to the obverse, integral suspension loop. 6.07 grams, 51 mm

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

S-section hoop with ovate plaque to each shoulder, lozengiform bezel with legend 'NI / IC + XC / KA' (Jesus Christ Victorious). 13.43 grams, 28.22 mm overall, 18.48 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P 1/2, USA 7 3/4, Europe 16.86, Japan 16)

UK private collection before 2000.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Property of a London gentleman.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Page 64 of 296
757 - 768 of 3546 LOTS