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

Restrung group of dark brown biconical beads. 4.65 grams, 16 cm



Excavated from Egypt in 1914. From the private collection of Mr David Sams and his wife Elizabeth Kate Sams, gentry and amateur archaeologists who travelled to Egypt in 1914 with their daughter Ethel. Mr Sams and his wife led digging expeditions from which these items come from the family estate of Mr and Mrs Sams, by direct descent to their granddaughter.

Gold chain of double-looped links terminating in corrugated end elements, with hook-and-eye clasp; suspension ring embellished with applied granulation and a ribbed loop; hollow-formed sheet-gold pendant in the round depicting Harpocrates seated, his right forefinger raised to his mouth, wearing a finely detailed nemes headdress surmounted by a complex hemhem, crown incorporating multiple hedjet elements, flanking uraei, and ram's horns. 49.80 grams, 40.5 cm



Ex Elie Boustros collection, Lebanon. Private collection, acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s; thence by descent. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13203-249297.

The fully three-dimensional modelling of the pendant aligns it with a group of high-quality Roman-period Egyptian goldwork characterised by pronounced plasticity and sculptural ambition. A pertinent comparison may be drawn with the gold diadem depicting Serapis from the Dush Treasure, discovered concealed within the wall of a Roman fort in the Baris Oasis (Reddé, M., Douch IV. Le trésor de Douch, DFIFAO 28, Cairo, 1992). That assemblage, plausibly associated with a nearby temple of Serapis and Isis, demonstrates a similarly bold treatment of divine imagery in precious metal. Comparable small-scale representations of Harpocrates in gold - often amuletic in function - are known from Roman Egypt, though examples combining such intricate crown iconography with fully rounded modelling remain relatively rare. The present piece therefore occupies an interesting position between personal adornment and cultic or apotropaic object, reflecting both Alexandrian iconographic synthesis and provincial workshop virtuosity. Harpocrates is the Greek version of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to provide the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son.

Comprising a small orbiculus, with a lion, green on brown linen; fragment of a clavus, in red, yellow, green wool, s-torsion, with figures and scalloped borders; a large orbiculus, in red wool on purple linen, dentilled edges; a fragment of a tapestry with vegetal ornaments in red, yellow and green wool; a long tunic segmentum with crosses and stars inside lozenges, in yellow and dark purple. 17.94 grams total, 7.6-35.5 cm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

The fragments are decorative parts of tunics. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved colour palette. The large segmentum with crosses most likely belonged to an ecclesiastical garment.

Rectangular green-glazed plaque with standing figure of Imsety in profile, with black pigment to the wig; pierced to the top and bottom; accompanied with a handwritten note reading 'Ancient Egyptian. Fayence pectoral amulet- impressive figure of Imseti, one of the four sons of Horus'. 5.98 grams, 49 mm



From the collection of David Donlan (1947-2025), a dedicated and lifelong collector with a passion for the ancient world and the natural sciences, forming his collection from 1960s onwards, using many reputable dealers across the United Kingdom, including the well-regarded Coincraft and The Parthenon Gallery. Accompanied by an old handwritten information ticket.

The Four Sons of Horus safeguarded the deceased's internal organs. The human-headed Imsety protected the liver, the baboon-headed Hapy the lungs, the jackal-headed Duamutef the stomach, and the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef the intestines. Plaques, such as this one, were sewn onto the mummy's wrappings or visceral packages.

Elongated piriform amphora shape, tubular neck and everted rim, decorated with polychrome festooning and trails, applied amber-green handles and knop foot. 152 grams, 18 cm high



Acquired in the early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12206-222129.

Including moulded glass vase fragment with standing Herakles figure, oil lamp with dolphin and triton, moulded female bust with earring, and other items. 465 grams total, 33-95 mm



Private collection, Switzerland.

Ellipsoid bezel with incuse crouching gryphon motif. 0.89 grams, 14.41 mm overall, 10.74 mm internal diameter



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

With rounded underside, carination to the shoulder, flared and rounded mouth, strap handle; rim partly absent. 1.57 kg, 24 cm



Acquired on the UK art market since the 1990s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman; thence by descent.

D-section hoop with expanding shoulders and discoid bezel, finely engraved two upper parts of horses joined as one into 'S' shape. 6.79 grams, 25.48 mm overall, 21.72 x 21.92 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Y, USA 12, Europe 27.51, Japan 26)



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

Each a trapezoidal plaque with a thick mounting loop on the reverse; incised design of scrolled and looped tendrils and notched panels, all symmetrically and regularly placed. 67 grams total, 54 mm each



Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK.

The design includes elements that appear to represent a horse's head in profile with a notched mane and looped eye; the designs are deliberately ambiguous.

Comprising a sheet-gold hollow-formed avian figure with applied filigree detailing, and a separate beaked head; accompanied by a rectangular blue glass fragment. 0.57 grams, bird: 19 mm



Private collection, USA and Switzerland, acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s; thence by descent.

Bulbous in profile with a short neck and a broad rim to the mouth, a short strap handle to the rear; painted with sirens facing left; vertical lines to the rim, shoulders and bottom. 100 grams, 80 cm high



Ex Lotti Hohl, Switzerland; acquired before 1987.