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

Fragment depicting the god Serapis, with tight curly hair and beard, wearing a modius crown. 28.98 grams, 59 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.

Ovoid in plan and biconvex in section, low-relief frog image on the discus, starburst on the underside; old collector's note: 'Very light buff coloured frog lamp. Exact type as illustrated in Bailey, [?] Roman pottery lamps. B.17.1963 pl. 14 d. Decorated base. 3-4th century A.D. Found in Alexandria. From Puys-Aubert collection in Alexandria. March 1963.' 71 grams, 81 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten identification card written by Peter Clayton.

Biconvex in profile with central vertical socket; mounted on a custom-made stand. 305 grams total, macehead: 61 mm wide, 74 mm including stand



Acquired in April 1963, for £36 shillings. A present from John Kearne. From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten information card by Peter Clayton, collection no.105.

Spherical pounder with a smooth surface. 625 grams, 86 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten information card by Peter Clayton, collection no.134.

Stone pounders were used to shape and harden metal, as well as to pound stone architectural elements and statues.

Tongue-shaped in plan with a step to the square end, incuse figure with crossed hands, tripartite wig, hieroglyphic text to the lower body, giving a standard shabti introduction. 70 grams, 87 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.

This forger's mould features the most recognisable text elements found on Late Period shabtis. However, authentic ancient moulds were typically plain—allowing the inscription to be added after casting—or left with blank spaces for the owner's name. While modern forgers often successfully replicate the common opening formulas, they frequently garble or over-embellish the subsequent individual names and texts.

Conical in profile with basal ring and radiating petal motifs to the shoulder; old 'Churchill Glass' dealer's label to underside. 50 grams, 61 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.

A squat, shouldered jar with a short, wide neck and a rolled rim. 292 grams, 67 mm high



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.

The scarab modelled with a stylised head, delineated pronotum and wing cases, a longitudinal division and angular markings at the shoulders, the underside with the seated figure of a pharaoh or god, facing a vertical cartouche bearing the throne name of Thutmose III, Men-kheper-re; set in a Victorian gold mount with an open-backed oval setting, with a fine beaded or twisted-wire border and pierced, divided shoulders. 5.69 grams, 26.90 mm overall, 18.79 x 18.00 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)



Acquired on the European art market. UK, private collection.

Proof etching on laid paper of plate 63 from Vol.II of Description de l'Égypte : ou, Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. entitled Thèbes. Hypogées. Manuscrit sur papyrus. 3eme partie. 272 grams, 103.5 x 69 cm



From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.

Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). The papyrus manuscript was recovered from an underground tomb chamber (hypogeum). The scene depicts the Fields of Iaru, a verdant paradise in the ancient Egyptian afterlife, where the deceased could enjoy abundant harvests.

Carved in the round, perched on a rectangular base, coated with gesso and bearing traces of gilding. 146 grams total, 14 cm wide including stand



From the estate of a deceased Sussex private collector since the early 20th century.

Such figures decorated the tops of canopic chests, shabti boxes, and coffins.

A composition of Roman-era Coptic textiles, assembled from various tunic and tapestry elements: 12 clavi, paired segmenta, and 4 tablia decorated with vegetal and floral motifs, framed by L-shaped elements composed of two clavi with orbiculi; geometric patterns wind along the clavi, while the orbiculi feature vegetal motifs and fish surrounded by small spheres; rhomboidal appliqués punctuate the surface; red, yellow, green, brown, pink, and indigo-blue wool, S-twist; mounted on a canvas with a wooden frame. 5.15 kg, 1.45 x 1.52 m



From the private antiquities collection of a Kensington collector. With a scientific report by RCD RadioCarbon dating from a sample taken in 2008. Property of a Huddersfield, UK, gentleman. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13444-263431

The fragments are decorative parts of tunics or wall tapestries. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved colour palette. The plant and animal designs are related to the so-called Nilotic decorative pattern, with Pagan elements persisting in the Christian Empire. Parts of this composition could also belong to a female shawl, like the famous Sabina's shawl found by Gayet in Antinoe.

Square in section and leaf-shaped in profile, with a squat mounting peg; mounted on a custom-made Perspex stand. 30 grams total, 13.5 cm including stand



with a privately curated collection, 1980s-early 2000s. From the private collection and estate of Christine Simons (1943-2025), West Midlands, UK.