Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History & Coins

A finely carved late Gothic group depicting two kneeling angels supporting the Cross, executed in walnut with a deep, time-worn patina, the angels, shown in reverent adoration, kneeling upon a naturalistic ground, their flowing drapery falling in deep, angular folds; each figure gently steadying the cross with expressive, delicately carved hands; on the reverse apertures indicating the former attachment of separately carved wings, now lost; the recessed compartments within the cross retaining traces of red pigment, suggesting that it originally housed relics or fragments of the True Cross; accompanied by a fabric-covered display stand. 6.4 kg total, 40.7 cm high



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.13380-258014.

The composition is devotional in nature and was likely conceived as part of a larger altarpiece or reliquary ensemble dedicated to the Adoration or Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The sculptor’s sensitive modelling and rhythmic treatment of drapery reflect the refined workmanship characteristic of the Southern Netherlands during the early sixteenth century.

Carved stylised elephant with elongated ears supporting a palanquin in the form of a caste with a carved cross, foliage motif to the reverse; mounted on a velvet-covered stand. 1.31 kg total, 34.2 cm including stand



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.13088-248391.

The image of an elephant carrying warriors in a howdah originated from Alexander the Great's battle against King Porus's war elephants at the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC. This motif became widely known in European art through the spread of Bestiaries which were medieval texts combining natural history with moralising Christian stories. One of the most well known was Matthew Paris’s imagined depictions of elephants, most notable in this case is his war elephant illustrated in Chronica maiora II, circa 1240-1255 (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 016II). Another well known manuscript - The Rochester Bestiary, circa 1230-1240 (British Library, London, Royal MS 12 F.xiii) contains a miniature with a war elephant in the midst of battle, above another image of elephants supposedly in their natural habitat. Since very few live elephants were seen in Europe during the medieval period, their representations were often more imaginative than realistic. Other Medieval bench end carvings of elephants in English churches are known, amongst them are: St Peter and St Paul, Tuttington, Norfolk; St Andrew, South Lopham, Norfolk; St Edmund, South Burlingham, Norfolk; St Andrew, Holme Hale, Norfolk. Elephants can also be found on misericords, some examples can be found at: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Exeter; Cathedral Church of St Peter, Gloucester; and St Mary's Church, Beverley.

Modelled standing with downcast eyes, wearing a short tunic, helmet and holding the shaft of a lance in his hands. 1.26 kg, 53.2 cm



Acquired on the European art market.

Longinus is the Roman soldier who pierced the side of the crucified Christ with a spear to see if he had died. As Christ had already passed, the wound released both water and blood (as described in John 19:34).

Featuring a large initial 'I' with the scenes of Creation with gold highlights, text from the Book of Genesis with red punctuation; set in a gilt glazed display frame. 585 grams total, 32.5 x 24.6 cm



Piasa, Paris, 6 June 2014, no.51. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13382-259015.

A large illumination with silver and gold highlights, a tall capital 'I' occupying the left margin, depicting the seven scenes of the Creation of the World within an interlacing design terminating in small leaves, fine Gothic script with red punctuation; set in a gilt glazed frame. 620 grams total, 28.6 x 28.6 cm



Piasa, Paris, 25 June 2015, no.7. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13381-259016.

This large initial introduces the text of the Book of Genesis—the opening phrase of which, *IN PRINCIPIO CREAVIT DEVS* ('In the beginning God created'), can be read along its right edge—extending to Chapter 3, verse 18. The large initial is embellished with burnished gold but, notably, also with silver—a feature that is extremely rare in the art of illumination from this period.

Pillar capital for an architectural column or pier decorated with dense vegetation motifs, tapering swags or garlands; reef-knot motif and leaves above; unworked to the reverse. 74 kg total, 51.5 cm high including stand



Ex French collection. Holz Artles, 25 April 2015, no.83. Private collection, Kensington, London. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13383-259007.

This finely carved capital belongs to a group of Romanesque capitals known as knotwork capitals, widespread in the South of France and North of Spain, where the influence of the architecture of the old Visigothic Kingdom was still strong. These capitals probably originate in one of the most famous sculpture workshops of Romanesque France. The base of the capital is topped by a row of abstractly sculpted acanthus leaves. The dominant section of the capital is decorated with stylised knotwork, composed of ornament that entwine and end in folded acanthus leaves. In between the entwined branches, there is more foliage forming the ‘head of a monster’ which playfully animates the sculpture.

Carved in the round with low pricked ears and hatched mane to the rear of the head, broad nose developing between domed lentoid eyes, broad upper lip, open mouth displaying teeth; repaired. 610 grams, 94 mm



with a London, UK gallery 1971-early 2000s. Private collection, London, UK.

Carved in high relief, limestone scene depicting Saint Martin of Tours on horseback with his sword raised to cut off a portion of his military cloak to share it with a beggar; the saint wearing articulated armour buckled at his forearms and on hs lower leg, with a billowing cloak draped across his shoulders; the horse shown in a contrapposto stance with one forleg raised, with ornamental caparison and harness pendants; the beggar depicted with emaciated form wearing only underclothes, hands pressed together in supplication; to the reverse, traces of original fixing to a wall or architectural setting; restored. 108 kg, 78.5 cm high



Ex Richard Chester Master, Cirencester, UK. Kate Thurlow & Robin Thompson Collection, 21 October 1998. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13384-259005.

The subject derives from the episode recorded by Sulpicius Severus in his Vita Sancti Martini (c. 397 A.D.), in which the young Roman soldier Martin, stationed at Amiens, divided his cloak to share it with a freezing beggar; that same night, he dreamt that Christ appeared to him wearing the half of the garment which he had given away. Martin subsequently converted to Christianity and eventually became Bishop of Tours, where he was venerated as one of the most important saints of early medieval Western Europe; his feast day is celebrated on 11th November. The present relief belongs to a tradition of Flemish devotional sculpture that flourished in the 15th century, when the prosperous towns of the Low Countries — Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, and Mechelen — became pre-eminent centres of religious carving exported across Northern Europe. Comparable examples to this piece are held in the collections of the Musée de Cluny, Paris, and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Discoid appliqué, flat in section and slightly distorted; incuse heraldic detailing to obverse blazoned 'Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules three lions passant guardant [Or] 2nd and 3rd [Or] four lions rampant [in a quadrangle] the 1st and 4th Sable the 2nd and 3rd [Gules]'. 37.2 grams, 59 mm



Found Lowick, East Northamptonshire, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.BH-D78F26.

The Royal College of Arms has identified these arms as belonging to King Edward III and his wife, Philippa of Hainault (r. 1327 - 1369). The terminus post quem for this piece is therefore 1327, the date of the marriage, and the likely terminus ante quem is Edward's death in 1377. A circular mount with the same fixing method, which bore the arms of the Bishopric of Ely, was found in Norfolk and is illustrated and described by Steven Ashley (2002: Fig. 20, p. 45, no. 196). The presence of the royal arms on this piece is likely to be a public display of allegiance to the throne rather than an indication of ownership on the part of the crown.

With voided lozenge bow and pierced lugs to the edges, tubular shaft with rounded forward end, split ward with bits. 142 grams, 15.6 cm



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

Showing two opposing surgeon saints, Cosmas and Damian, holding their medical attributes and shown nimbate, dressed in contemporary garments, with an inscription naming them at the centre, the background with densely arranged with decorative motifs. 8.25 kg, 43 cm



Private collection, Spain. Private collection, London, UK.

Cosmas and Damian were two Arab physicians who were martyred in Syria during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian.

Matched pair of carved stone corbels, each a mythical beast with a rounded body, bat-like wings folded behind the back, long arched neck and reptilian head with gaping mouth; mounted on an integral square-section base with stepped rear face; socket to forward face with bronze insert; some surface accretions. 400 kg total, 118 -121.5 cm



Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13385-259013.

From the Romanesque era onwards, images of demons, often carved on the external sides of cathedrals and churches, were strongly linked to the fantastical and monstrous creatures of ancient myth and legend. For theologians, supernatural creatures which could not otherwise be explained were not of God and therefore had to be demonic: their incorporation in the ecclesiastic structures showed that their malevolent powers could be kept under control only through the protection of the church. This origin of Christian demons is likely to have influenced the visual representation in medieval culture as hybrid and monstrous, especially given the increased interest in Greek works from the twelfth century onwards in the West.