Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History & Coins

An oval intaglio finely engraved with a classical scene, at the centre a herm upon a plinth, flanked by two figures: the woman on the left wearing a gown with loose drapery falling across her arms, while the figure to the right is shown nude, the body scarcely veiled by a fine transparent cloth; at the far right a sacrificial altar surmounted by a lyre, introducing a musical or poetic dimension to the scene and emphasising its votive character; mounted in an ornate 18th-century French gold fob mount, pierced with scrolling foliate ornament and stamped with duty marks; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 6.60 grams, 25 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

The gem, cut in the 16th century, reflects the Renaissance revival of antique glyptic art, where Roman prototypes were carefully studied and reinterpreted with elegance and precision. The finely executed incision and harmonious arrangement of clothed and unclothed figures highlight the engraver’s technical mastery and antiquarian erudition.

Comprising a fluted bezel and looped handle, set with an oval intaglio bearing a profile bust of Zeus with long hair and beard, wearing a wreath on his head; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 14.7 grams, 32 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

Vibrant red carnelian intaglio skilfully carved with a bust of a mature man in three-quarter view, gazing right, wearing a wide-collared, buttoned tunic and a cap, long curly hair framing his bearded face with a deeply furrowed forehead; set in a gold frame with an amphora-like looped handle; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 11.72 grams, 33 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

Edward Burch (1730–1814) was a distinguished English gem engraver and miniaturist, celebrated for his intricate craftsmanship and artistic versatility. A founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, Burch gained acclaim for his engraved gemstones, which often depicted classical and mythological themes, reflecting the neoclassical style of the Georgian era. His skill in miniature painting further demonstrated his artistic range and mastery of detail. Highly respected in his time, Burch’s works remain admired for their technical precision and elegance, preserving his legacy as a key figure in 18th-century British art. Inigo Jones (1573–1652) was a pioneering English architect who is widely regarded as the first significant figure to introduce the principles of Renaissance architecture to England. Influenced by his studies in Italy and the works of Andrea Palladio, Jones designed elegant structures characterised by classical symmetry, proportion, and restraint. His most famous works include the Banqueting House at Whitehall, the Queen’s House in Greenwich, and contributions to the layout of Covent Garden. Jones’s adoption of Palladian ideals marked a departure from the Gothic style that had dominated English architecture, laying the foundation for subsequent developments in the Classical tradition.

Oval heliotrope intaglio showing a boat on water with an open sail, Christ casting a net in the water, and the boat drawn by the disciples; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.55 grams, 14 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

Vibrant orange carnelian intaglio depicting a lively Bacchic scene with satyrs, wine-bearers and other participants beneath a canopy supported by two flying Cupids; below in the exergue, a small figure of a fisherman, fishing with a hook on the sea shore; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 1.21 grams, 21 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

The original 'Seal of Michelangelo' is a famous engraved carnelian gem, acquired by King Louis XIV in 1670. It is now housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Long thought to be an ancient Greek masterpiece, and a subject of debate and controversy, it was subsequently identified by scholars as a Renaissance work by Pier Maria Serbaldi da Pescia.

Carefully rendered bust of Christ facing left, crown of thorns resting on his curly hair, short beard and pained expression on his face; set in a gold mount with applied ropework collars, pin and catch on the reverse. 16.3 grams, 42 mm



Acquired on the 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.13404-257986.

It was believed that the scarlet flecks in the stone were the blood of Christ, hence its popular use for the subject of Christ throughout the Middle Ages until the 19th century.

Finely carved, high-relief cameo depicting profile bust of the goddess, wearing a plumed helmet with the crest supported by a winged Pegasus, her hair modelled in soft curls framing the face and falling over the shoulder above articulated lorica (battle armour); small grape-shaped earrings and multiple necklaces carefully rendered, creating an appealing contrast between martial attributes and feminine ornament; set in an unmarked, high-carat gold frame, probably struck and finished in England after the gem’s return from the Grand Tour, two lateral suspension loops. 14.98 grams, 36 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

The relief shows confident toolwork: crisp contours to the facial profile, detailed treatment of the helmet and feathers, and subtle gradations of planes between the figure and the background.

Ellipsoid bezel with flange rim, inset cameo with a group of four adults holding an infant on a plinth; a rare subject for depiction. 8.91 grams, 24.68 mm overall, 19.41 x 17.44 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P 1/2, USA 7 3/4, Europe 16.86, Japan 16)



Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the English art market. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13152-248333.

Skilfully carved cameo depicting the jewelled profile bust of Maria Theresa facing right, the background is highly polished, whilst the relief is rendered with contrasting polished and matt elements; the high-carat gold brooch setting likely original to the jewel and set with a border of blister pearls. 9.69 grams, 37 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (c.1717-80) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until she died in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands, and Parma.

High-relief bust of a young lady facing right, her curly hair neatly pulled back to a chignon at the nape of her neck, jewelled diadem resting on top of the head; mounted in an unmarked high-carat gold brooch setting dating to the 19th century. 9.59 grams, 30 mm



Acquired on the European art market.

The head, carved from pale green chalcedony, polished to a smooth lustre and with a drilled aperture at the crown, the hair in tight curls around the nape and crown; the silver-gilt torso dressed in a draped toga carefully chased with deep folds and traces of gilding across the high points; mounted on a later patinated bronze column stand in the neoclassical manner. 208 grams total, 10.9 cm high including stand



Acquired on the European art market.

This small-scale portrait evokes the Roman tradition of imperial portraiture and the early modern fascination with the ancient world. From the seventeenth century onwards, artists and collectors revived classical subjects through hardstone and gilt-metal compositions, often intended for display in Kunstkammer or Grand Tour contexts. The combination of a reused ancient or earlier element with a later mount was a practice typical of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, reflecting the period’s reverence for antiquity and its imaginative recontextualisation of ancient forms.

The two-handled pottery cup named and dated in slip 'Tom Frozon 1868' on the side; a frog located inside the base to surprise the unwary drinker; an exceptional example made at Howcans Pottery, Halifax, Yorkshire. 938 grams, 21.5 cm wide



From the Martin Harrison collection, North Wales. Ex John Howard, English pottery specialist. Property of a Kent, UK, lady collector. Accompanied by a copy of the John Howard catalogue listing.