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

Tongue-shaped plaque with incised female figure in orans gesture to one face, concentric ring pattern in three columns to the other face; attachment loop to the top. 3.87 grams, 25 mm



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

Octagonal bezel with pelleted border enclosing facing bust of Mary Theotokos and infant Jesus with equal-arm cross in the field. 2.43 grams, 24.06 mm overall, 21.62 mm internal diameter (approximate size British V, USA 10 1/2, Europe 23.77, Japan 22)



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

Slender hoop and integral square bezel, incuse beaded border enclosing profile Imperial bust flanked by columns, equal-arm cross above his crown. 2.63 grams, 24.45 mm overall, 21.12 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X, USA 11 1/2, Europe 26.29, Japan 25)



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

Biconical body with rounded base and domed filler hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 502 grams, 97 mm



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.

Discoid type with two nimbate figures flanking an altar. 4.42 grams, 16 mm



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

Flat in section cross pommee, each arm with ring surrounded by pellets at the outer end and similar to the centre; integral loop. 16.3 grams, 65 mm



Private collection, 1980s. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK.

Ellipsoid bezel with incuse winged and nimbate figure facing. 2.97 grams, 21.83 mm overall, 17.69 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N 1/2, USA 6 3/4, Europe 14.35, Japan 13)



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

Broad and squat with carination to the exterior face, and a broad foot ring; cream glaze with sgraffito design of a delineated falcon in profile, surrounded by leafy branches and holding one of the branches in its hooked beak. 1.04 kg, 26.3 cm



Private collection (L.v.L.), Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany, acquired between 1960s-1980s.

In the Byzantine Empire, and even more so in the Islamic world, hunting falcons were a symbol of wealth and high status. The spectrum of designs in which they are to be found on 12th-century Byzantine pottery, in particular, offers a forceful testament both to the cultural reach of such vessels during the period and to the skill of the potters who were able to produce large numbers of beautifully worked slipware vessels destined for marine trade. The present example is likely to have been discovered in the late 1960's, when it is thought a 12th-century shipwreck laden with slipware vessels was excavated off the coast of Izmir.

Shallow type with dished body and ring to underside; rounded rim and incised border, four sgraffito crescent motifs with undulating line above each. 301 grams, 16 cm wide



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

Heavy cross pendant showing a nimbate robed figure on one side holding a staff and a thurible, a Greek inscription on the reverse. 36 grams, 65 mm



Acquired on UK art market in the 1990s. Property of a Middlesex gentleman.

Piriform oil lamp with low-relief leaf decoration. 58 grams, 89 mm



Ex J. Zadok & Sons, 18, King David Road, Jerusalem, Israel. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman; thence by descent. Accompanied by a certificate of antiquity issued by J. Zadok & Sons.

Comprising two polygonal weights, each with a ring-and-dot design on the polygonal faces. 44.3 grams total, 16-19 mm



London gentleman's collection, 1970-1990s, by descent.