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

Comprising a flat, tongue-shaped body with a segmented surface with remains of blue and red enamel; above, the head modelled in the half-round with short curly hair, round eyes and a flat nose; two rivet-holes to the body. 41.5 grams, 92 mm



Acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s. From an East Anglian private collection.

Modelled in the round on an ornate mount; the saint with tonsured hairstyle, draped floor-length robe, right hand drawn up to the chest and left hand holding a book; ferrous pin to the rear of the head to attach a separate halo; octagonal-section trumpet-shaped base developing to a foliate stem with hatched detailing. 91 grams, 10.6 cm

Fine condition.

Found Romney Marsh area, Kent, UK, 1990-2020. Property of a Kent, UK gentleman.

Modelled in the half-round and hollow to the reverse, with extended arms and elongated hands, crowned head tilted and lentoid eyes downcast in solemn expression, long hanks of hair falling on his shoulders; wearing a knee-length pleated garment, secured to the waist with a thick cord; chevron rib detailing; pierced hands and block beneath feet. 150 grams, 14.1 cm



From the collection of Prof. Dr Rudolf Schnellbach, the Director of the Baden State Museum. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13529-262856.

In accordance with the old tradition derived from Byzantium, Christ is depicted as alive, with nailed hands. It may have once been part of an altar decoration or, rather, placed above or in the chancel arch of a church.

Discoid panel with reserved heater shield on foliage field; three crowns each with a median cross pommee upstand; mounted in a tiered gilt-bronze circular frame (possibly later). 29.68 grams, 50 mm



Found Romney Marsh area, Kent, 1990-2015. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector.

Two enamelled heraldic pendants of this shape are illustrated in Ashley (2002, fig. 21, nos. 197 and 198), both bearing the same decoration, the three crowns, which are the arms of the Bishop of Ely. Ashley describes them as a comparatively rare type (2002, 23). The blazon of the arms is given as 'Gules three crowns Or' (2002, 45). Horse-harness pendants date from the 12th to the 14th centuries, but were more common in the late 13th and early 14th centuries (Griffiths 1986). Similar records on the PAS database include NMS-6FF080, NMS-A4F8A2, LEIC-344ED2, WAW-600DE5, CAM-67BD16 (with suspension mount), WILT-9C5CEE.

Group of four quatrefoil plaques, each with a hole at the end of each arm for attachment; champ-levé enamelled images of the symbols of the evangelists: angel, ox, and lion, one with an image of a pelican piercing her side with her own beak, symbolising Christ's Passion; each with a looped and draped band, the angel holding a banner with a legend 'marcus' in bastarda script. 27.49 grams total, 48-50 mm



Galerie Ratton Ladriere, 2021. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13470-262833.

Processional crosses in late medieval Catalonia were richly decorated with gilt silver and basse-taillle plaques. In terms of the typology of Catalan crosses in the later Middle Ages, the present work was part of a 'cruz flordelisada' (cross adorned with a fleur-de-lis), which was a Catalan fashion in the 14th and 15th centuries, and which was used in Christian processions.

Rectangular plaque with reserved border and fluted spandrels to the upper corners; figural scene with standing nimbate female in veiled robe holding a book in one hand; before her, a standing child with hand raised towards her and behind him an adult male in knee-length tunic with a travelling cloak; altar with stepped base, paved floor, latticework with quatrefoils at the nodes; mounted on a custom-made stand. 241 grams total, 94 mm, 15.3 cm including stand



Mrs Chester D. Tripp. Gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art in honour of William Wixom, 1979. Deaccessioned by the museum before 2000. Private collection, Scotland, acquired at auction in Zurich in 2000. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13543-262827.

The plaque shows a child being presented by his father to a nimbate female saint wearing a veil covering her hair. The plaque features fictitious cusped architectural arches that spring from small corbels at each of the upper corners and embellish the plain borders framing the scene, as well as the tiled floors and diaper-pattern background ornamented with small cross motifs.

With an oval bezel engraved in fine outline with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, shown standing frontally beside the spiked wheel of her martyrdom; the shoulders engraved with stylised floral ornament, curved fluting and rows of beaded decoration extending around the hoop. 2.62 grams, 19.22 mm overall, 17.42 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M, USA 6, Europe 12.46, Japan 12)



Acquired on the European art market. UK, private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13505-263380.

Saint Catherine was among the saints represented on late medieval English iconographic rings, which served as personal expressions of devotion.

Heater shield to each keeled shoulder displaying a fleur-de-lys on a hatched field and five arrowheads (for the five wounds of Christ); rectangular keeled bezel with standing figure to each panel: Mary with book on the left, Christ triumphant bearing a sword on the right. 9.85 grams, 25.63 mm overall, 20.90 mm internal diameter (approximate size British U 1/2, USA 10 1/4, Europe 23.15, Japan 22)

Fine condition.

Acquired in the 1970s. Ex E.C. Fuller collection. Ex Isle of Avalon Coins and Antiquities, Leiston, Suffolk, UK. Property of a Kent gentleman since 2010.

Twisted ropework detailing to D-section hoop, shoulders with raised median bands developing three panels, each with a reserved standing figure of a saint. 6.94 grams, 25.13 mm overall, 21.69 x 19.20 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)



From the collection of a gentleman born in the late 19th century, formed 1940s-1970s. From an old Staffordshire family collection; thence by descent.

The bezel divided longitudinally into two sub-rectangular facets, each transversely concave, meeting in a pointed ridge at the middle; both facets engraved: the figure on the right a draped, mature and bearded male with an object on his left shoulder and raised hem to his robe, likely St. Christopher bearing the Christ child; the left-hand side with unidentified figure facing left; shoulders and hoop decorated with a continuation of the central rib develping to a row of beaded pellets; shoulders double faceted, each decorated with an incised branch of four flanking leaves and a pointed flower bud; hoop separated from the shoulders by notches flanking the beaded rib. 4.72 grams, 23.28 mm overall, 18.70 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q 1/2, USA 8 1/4, Europe 18.12, Japan 17)



Found whilst searching with a metal detector near Loders, Dorset, UK, on 1st November 2025, declared as Treasure under the Treasure Act with reference number 2025 T1471, subsequently disclaimed by the Crown and returned to the finder. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.DOR-B066F7. Accompanied by a copy of the report on the find of potential Treasure for H M Coroner with reference no.2025 T1471.

Similarly decorated examples can be found in the PAS database, including GLO-A3DF57 (2013 T653), SUSS-72DoD5 (2003 T318) and BM-D83D1C (2003 T84). These examples are dated to c. 1400 to 1550. Similar iconographic rings with dual- or triple-celled bezels are found in the British Museum’s collection (1891,1124.1 and 1871,0303.2), both dated to the 15th century. The latter features a recognisably similar depiction of St Christopher, albeit clearer and more detailed. The second figure on the ring is another saint, possibly Saint Barbara or St Margaret, although more defining details are obscured.

Of episcopal type, centred by a square cabochon sapphire in a closed-back collet, four smaller collet settings arranged around the central setting set with emerald and amethyst cabochons, the bezel supported by a narrow flat-section hoop. 1.94 grams, 22.42 mm overall, 19.35 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16.23, Japan 15)



Acquired on the European art market. UK, private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13501-263469.

Finger rings with a principal stone and subsidiary settings in separate collets came into use in the early 13th century, and this form of simple low collar continued in use to the 15th century.

Flat hoop and discoid bezel with central cell and inset intaglio lion couchant; flange rim with impressed detailing and cross potent; hoop with enigmatic retrograde legend in serifed Greek and Latin capitals '+*Π*O*N*O*Y*O*I*E*N'. 4.04 grams, 19.36 mm overall, 16.48 x 15.80 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)



Private collection of Kal Noselson, New York, acquired between 1976 and the late 1990s; thence by descent. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13452-259841.

These aristocratic rings were set with red or blue paste, engraved in intaglio with the heraldic symbol of the family. The round borders were often engraved with indeterminate inscriptions, using Latin and Greek letters.