Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History, Stamps & Coins

Spherical solid-core type of about 5 ounces. 141 grams, 31 mm



From a UK collection formed in the 1980s. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Comprising a narrow triangular blade with a thick midrib, curved lip to the rear edge on each side of a square-section tang with curved end. 275 grams, 52.2 cm



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

Comprising: curved single-edged blade with thick back and scooped tip; curved grip with bell-shaped guard and repoussé sleeve with floral detailing; wooden core carved at the open end to represent dense foliage in detailed openwork with recurved finial; wooden scabbard with sheet metal sleeve and ornamented frog to match the grip. 755 grams, 72 cm



From the collection of Mr Carlos Bahamonde, Manchester, UK.

Triangular blade with raised midrib extending to a rectangular-section tang. 235 grams, 38 cm



From a UK collection formed in the 1980s. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Curved in profile with recurved ends to the broad upper edge; carination around three edges, attachment rivets; extensive leather lining strips to reverse; later suspension wire for display. 270 grams, 21.5 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. From a gentleman's collection from East Sussex, UK.

Lower part of a tasset with the outer edges deformed due to repair work. Tassets are pieces of plate armour designed to protect the upper thighs.

Bulbous body with rounded base and domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 910 grams, 12.2 cm



Ex important collection of weaponry, London, UK, 1980-1990s. 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'.

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 flared mouth and band of annulets beneath, stepped shoulder developing to pentagonal-section spike with raised spur to each face. 191 grams, 23.5 cm



From a UK collection formed in the 1980s. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Round-section coiled bar with tapering finials decorated with incised hatching. 159 grams, 82 mm



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

Columnar type with clubbed ends, ribbing beneath one end; three groups of three radiating knops. 74.7 grams, 12.7 cm



From a UK collection formed in the 1980s. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Comprising the socket from a looped-and-socketed axehead, two sickle fragments and a ribbed bar. 489 grams total, 5.8-12.4 cm



Acquired Germany in the early 1980s. From a UK collection formed in the 1980s. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

Foliate blade with a central rib and rounded tip and shoulders, short tang with a pierced finial. 114 grams, 22.2 cm



Ex Abelita collection, 1980s-2010.

A low-flanged palstave with a short 'squared' butt, a triangular blade with a convex cutting edge, deep lateral flanges, a stop and a median rib; loop to the side. 344 grams, 15.1 cm



Acquired on the UK art market since the 1960s. From the private collection of Mr J.P.H., a Woolwich, UK, collector, his collection formed since the 1960s.