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

Triangular in plan with repoussé ornament; outer frame with bands of pellets enclosing decorative panels: above, acanthus scrolls with tendrils emanating from a central vase; in the middle, openwork cross with acanthus scrolls; in the base, a pelta and other motifs; three fixing holes at the upper edge, apex absent; inked '693' notation. 11.84 grams, 83 mm



Ex Wiltshire, UK, collection, 1990s.

A complete pair of lamellar greaves, anatomically formed protection featuring curved, overlapping metal plates (lames), the knee area having large plates and cut-outs at the sides to enable better movement; the left greave consists of nineteen overlapping U-shaped metal strips, whilst the right consists of twenty, each with two rivets at each end of every strip. 1.8 kg total, 45-50.5 cm



Acquired on the Munich art market in the 1990s. From a South German private collection. German export licence no.15771. Accompanied by an academic report by Prof. Dr Phil. Peter Rothenhöfer and Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13540-263658.

A close example in construction technique and material is an arm guard (manica) from Newstead (Trimontium). The heavy armoured cavalrymen (cataphractarii) were often protected entirely on arms and legs, as shown by the Dura Europos graffito and echoed in the words of Nazianzius describing the clibanarii of Maxentius (Pan., XXII,5ff.): 'In the army they are called clibanarii, the men are covered in the upper part, an armour (lorica) which extends down to the horses’chest (pectora equorum) and hang to their forelegs protects them from the injury of a wound without impending their gait…' Nazanzius speaks of an ostentatio armorum (display of armour) and of operti ferro exercitus (army covered with iron). A long splint-armour gauntlet with metal staves had already begun to appear as early as the third century in the Roman army. It had an Iranian origin and is typical of Eurasian horse people.

Discoid in plan with swept curved profile and central raised point; mounted on a custom-made stand. 1.04 kg total, 20.5 cm including stand



Private collection, South Germany, acquired on the French art market in the 1980s. with Gorny & Mosch, München, 14 December 2005, no.306.

The body of the axe resembling a stork's head with incised lines on the sides, a tubular socket with a collared dog reclining on the top and perforations on the sides. 373 grams total, 15.2 cm high including stand



European private collection, 1990s. Ex John Lawton private collection, Surrey, UK. Accompanied by a copy of a previous illustrated catalogue page, including provenance.

Featuring a blunt fan-shaped blade and a sloping counterbalance to the rear; the edge of the blade decorated with an undulating border, embellished with a bulging eye relief on each side of the socket; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 537 grams total including stand, axehead: 20 cm wide



London collection of weapons, 1990s-2010s. Ex John Lawton private collection, Surrey, UK. Accompanied by a copy of a previous illustrated catalogue page, including provenance.

With ribbed socket terminating in a butt formed of four cones, the blade expanding from the socket in a swept arc with reinforcing rim to upper and lower edges. 368 grams, 21.5 cm



Ex Abelita collection, 1980s-2010.

Comprising a long slender blade with a stepped mid-rib and narrow point, waisted openwork tubular hilt with domed pommel, transverse scaphoid-section guard; narrow sheet-bronze scabbard with flared mouth (cracked); mounted on a custom-made stand. 434 grams total, dagger: 31.2 cm



Acquired on the UK art market, 1990s-2000s. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13464-262414.

The openwork grips of these daggers were created using the lost wax process. The openwork was cut into the original wax, and after casting, it was inlaid with cream-coloured stone, some of which survives. These short daggers were still in use in the Early Median and Achaemenid Periods, between 800 and 600 B.C.

Slender blade widening at the base, three raised median ribs extending to the short tang; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 420 grams total, 41 cm high including stand



German collection, cologne 1990s. Ex John Lawton private collection, Surrey, UK.

According to Moorey, such categories of swords were distributed in the Northern Iran area, as proved by the Amarlu finds. Based on the example from the Ashmolean Museum, he dated them to the end of the 2nd millennium B.C., more precisely to a period between the 14th and 13th centuries B.C. The type was in use until the 7th century B.C.

Of cylindrical shape, the upper section with prominent bosses and flanges, a short cylindrical shaft edged at top and bottom with collars; mounted on a custom-made stand. 630 grams total, 21 cm including stand



with ArtAncient, 2010. Private collection, London.

Tubular in plan with low-relief braided panel and undulating lines; scooped profile at each end and securing collar; mounted on a custom-made stand. 647 grams total, 25.6 cm including stand



Ex Chrysler Museum of Art, Virginia, accession no.NP.68.62.M. with ArtAncient, 2010. Private collection, London, UK.

Double-edged Petersen Type S sword with a gently tapering long blade, the rounded point well preserved; the well-defined cutting edges show strong traces of employment with battle-nicks along the entire length; straight blade with a slender tang; the shallow tapering fullers visible showing shallow traces of pattern-welding; the boat-shaped guard with rounded ends and applied Ringerike Style ornament; short grip, the upper guard curved upwards and separated from the three-lobe pommel by inlaid silver wire; possibly later inlaid silver bands marking the separation between the lobes 985 grams, 91.3 cm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13443-262858.

Double-edged cutting sword of Petersen's Type K, with parallel-sided blade, shallow fullers showing some traces of pattern-welded construction and a possible inscription (+VLFBERHT+?) on both sides, short rectangular-section tang, boat-shaped lower guard with silver ring-chain ornament to the upper face; five-lobed pommel with remains of silver-sheet ornament to lower edge. 770 grams, 69.2 cm long



Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13433-261728.

This blade of 9th or 10th century A.D. is most beautifully shaped bearing a possible ‘VLFBERHT’ inscription, with the iron inlay of pattern-welded form. The elements of the hilt are inlaid in silver. Petersen regarded his type K with its characteristic five (rarely seven) lobed pommel as being native by Frankish lands by the Rhine, and speculated that the type came to Norway in the first half of 9th century as a result of Viking raids.