Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History & Coins

Slender body with balustered finial, a band of hatched herringbone decoration beneath the finial. 2.74 grams, 72 mm



Ex 'Neuburg' collection, Germany, 1970. with Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.

Composed mainly of oblate beads with a conical pendant at the centre, restrung. 3.6 grams, 41 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s.

Modelled in the round with the head resting on the extended forepaws. 6.04 grams, 23.7 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Composed of various beads in an alternating pattern, the central feature with larger beads, including a dark green polygonal bead, restrung. 10.7 grams, 32 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s.

Crescentic in form and square in section with recurved knop finials. 24.25 grams, 63.11 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Formed as a six-petalled flower with deeply grooved petals, a hanging loop at the centre with a separate bar attachment and a glass bead. 1.72 grams, 23.4 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Hollow-formed in reclining pose with the legs folded beneath the body, tail curled over the rump, hump to rear of neck. 61 grams, 47 mm



Acquired in 1992. Private collection, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

Group of three iron clout-nails mounted in a terracotta display with information panel 'ROMAN LEGION NAILS / circa 2000 years old' and with information sheet on the Roman Fortress 'Inchtuthil' to the reverse. 180 grams, 13.2 cm high



From the private collection of Mr Brian Edwards, New Malden, Surrey, UK, formed from the late 1970s-early 1980s; thence by descent. Accompanied by an original separate information card on the subject of the Inchtuthil fortress.

The fortress at Inchtuthil was a fortified headquarters and forward supply depot for the forces led by the Roman governor, Gnaeus Julius Agricola, when he undertook a lengthy campaign against the Caledonian tribes in the north of Britain. The campaign is mentioned in the biographical work written by his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, which has been studied in order to understand the Roman plan for the subjugation of the island. The troops chosen for the campaign were drawn from the 20th Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix). While the construction of Inchtuthil and other strongholds took place, the troops lived in temporary encampments, which were also fortified and formed a chain of defensive sites from which domination of the surrounding territory could be achieved. Subsequently, once the site was abandoned late in the 1st century A.D. (around 86 A.D.), no further building took place there or in the area. Excavation in the 20th century by Sir Ian Richmond (begun in 1952) revealed a pristine site with its complete plan recoverable, unique in the Roman Empire. The defences were a broad ditch and turf wall with stone facing, with watchtowers and gatehouses. The site was thought to have been abandoned due to the relocation of troops to counter an invasion from Eastern Europe into the province of Dacia, although this is no longer certain. A huge quantity of iron nails (more than 875,000) was recovered from a pit in the fort as well as other ironware; the goods had been buried in order not to let them fall into the hands of the Caledonians. The excavated nails and other items were sorted and sold in small parcels, which was completed by 1963. The nails range in size from small nails between thirty-eight and seventy millimetres long, up to the massive spikes three hundred and seventy-two millimetres long. These kinds of long nails were also used for crucifixions.

Slender hoop with expanding shoulders, bezel set with a bronze intaglio with a gilt low-relief profile bust of Serapis wearing modius. 4.81 grams, 22.93 mm overall, 18.00 x 13.48 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I, USA 4 1/4, Europe 7.44, Japan 7)



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

Discoid in plan with stub nozzle, rosette to the discus and radiating bars to the shoulder, incised circle to the underside. 83 grams, 81 mm



From a collection of lamps from a late Scottish gentleman, 1970-1990s.

With intaglio ant; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.10 grams, 7.08 mm.



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. 32 grams total, 14-18 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

The term 'tessera' was used in Roman times to convey the Greek term σύμβολον (token). Small tiles are known as tokens, often shaped like coins, made of metal (copper, lead, iron), clay, bone, wood, or glass, stamped as well as engraved. The tokens, however, are not exclusively coin-shaped, as the Latin term 'tessera' suggests by etymologically referring to a square or at least a four-sided shape and confirmed in several cases by material remains of the past. Tokens and tesserae seem to have been used both in Athens and Rome for the distribution of goods. According to written sources, the term token is identified with credentials of the official authorities. They have also been interpreted as tokens of identity, as entrance tickets to theatre performances, tribunals or assemblies of citizens, archival material of seal engraving, as pawns in games, Charon’s obols and even as amulets.