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

Comprising two book fittings: one a complete fitting of Howsam Type A.9.2, composed of three main elements: an attachment end, a boss, and a projecting terminal with an attached ring, the attachment end rectangular and hollow, with a decorated obverse and a plain reverse, and two iron rivets pierced through either side, the obverse of the plate bordered on two sides by defined squares, seven at the top and six at the base, between these a slightly recessed central field, on which inscribed the letters ‘IHC’ in an ornate serif font, the attached lozenge-shaped boss moulded in relief of a four-petalled floral, whilst the reverse with a single circular depression on the underside, the projecting terminal in the form of a stylised snouted animal head, moulded in relief, whilst the reverse is plain and undecorated, at the end of this terminal an attached loop with another separate ring attached at a right-angle; the other with a tiered lozenge-shaped boss and a looped terminal, rectangular plate with two rivets in situ, the upper face with an inscription 'IHC' on a hatched gilt background. 74.7 grams total, 67-78 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Barham, Kent, UK; one recorded with PAS. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.KENT-3AF321.

The PAS report states: 'This object is a book fitting of Howsam A.9.2 (Howsam, 2010). The A.9 type fastenings are typically elaborate in both form and decoration, as demonstrated by this example. This object would have functioned by means of the strap-and-pin mechanism (Howsam, 2010, pp. 39). The Christogram engraved on the central field is in relation to the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek (ΙΗΣΟΥΣ) transliterated into Latin letters. Unlike other comparable examples, this script runs 90º anti-clockwise. This object adds to a corpus of similar examples recorded on this database. This object adds to a corpus of similar examples recorded on this database: NMS-7D0635, IOW-7D75B7, BERK-AC4903, NMS-369AB8 and LIN-74ACFC.'

With central fleur-de-lys motif, border with legend '+ S' AGNETIS FILE ADE DE WALEPOL'; supplied with an impression. 11.1 grams, 36.4 mm



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

Adam’s home was one of the two villages named Walpole in East Anglia, one in Norfolk, one in Suffolk.

Circular, slightly domed mount with a narrow inner quatrefoil border, outside the angles of the quatrefoil, the spandrels containing a raised dot, with linear marks resembling keying, and one spandrel (lower left) appears to have traces of gilding over these; the quatrefoil filled with a seated human figure, nimbate and with a full skirt and tight bodice, the bodice appears to be gilded and it may be that the object was 'parcel' (partly) gilded to emphasise the clothing, also wearing a cloak covering the shoulders; the right hand holding a cup, raised to the mouth; the left hand reaching out towards a perching bird surrounded by a circle (perhaps also a nimbus, showing that it is a holy bird); the bird with its wings held out above its body and its head and beak held upwards; the background filled with motifs, across the centre two rows of half-ovals, each with a pair of V-shaped indentations in the top resembling tulip flowers, a triangular pillar to each side of the legs, each decorated with a pair of oblique grooves, an enigmatic strip decorated with oblique ribbing, running upwards from the lower part of the left-hand foil to the open top of the cup, the lower end appearing to have a face in profile with eye and open jaw, possibly representing a snake or serpent. 2.76 grams, 19 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector on 25th September 2014 near Mersham, Kent, UK; declared as Treasure under the Treasure Act with reference number 2017T553, disclaimed by the Crown and returned to the finder. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.PUBLIC-FF66A3. Accompanied by a copy of the report on the find of potential Treasure for H M Coroner. Accompanied by a copy of the letter from the British Museum stating that the Crown's interest in this find has been disclaimed.

The PAS report states: 'This scene might perhaps be interpreted as showing St John the Evangelist (author of the Gospel of St John) with his symbol of an eagle and a chalice with a serpent. The later refers to a poisoned chalice, either the cup mentioned by Jesus to James and John in Matthew ch. 20 v. 23, or the chalice mentioned in the Golden Legend (written c.1260 and extremely popular for the rest of the medieval period) in Ch.9 of which John is said to have survived drinking a cup of poison in an attempt to convert a pagan. Although the figure looks female, John was often depicted with delicate features and beardless. The high quality of the ornament suggests a late medieval date. It may be related to plaques from late medieval reliquary box pendants.'

Rectangular body with triangular arch to the upper edge; gilt finish to gesso-covered board and stepped frame; facing bust with pounced nimbus framing the grey-haired tonsured head, with short beard; dark brown monastic habit with hood over a grey undertunic visible at the cuff; both hands supporting a red-covered book; Sienna School, label to reverse: 'Firenze Sept,1935 Ecole Siennoise. No.934. A.K.K.K'. 3.6 kg, 69.5 cm high



Private collection, Geneva, formed in the 1980s; thence by descent. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13513-262847.

One of the earliest known portraits of the saint was painted by Cimabue while he was working on the frescoes at the Basilica of Assisi. Executed on a wooden panel, tradition holds that this board originally served as the lid for the humble wooden coffin in which Saint Francis was laid to rest immediately after his death. Over the centuries, the depiction of the saint was refined by masters like Giotto and other prominent Medieval and Renaissance artists, including the Master of Paciano, Taddeo di Bartolo, Benozzo Gozzoli, and Niccolò di Liberatore. Together, their works offer a focused yet deeply evocative journey, tracing how the saint’s image evolved alongside his rapidly growing cult. This artistic legacy is closely intertwined with the influential Sienese school of painting.

Oil on board in a gilt-moulded frame with arcade detailing at the top; youthful figure shown sitting on a stone bench, barefoot with right leg extended; head bowed and book supported on the left knee, wearing a green tunic and large brown hooded travelling cloak; set in a landscape with hilltop city in the middle distance; reinforcing straps and suspension to the reverse. 4.15 kg, 61.5 cm high



Ex Vicar Anders Frostenson (1906-2006), Sweden. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13515-262842.

It was common in Western art of this period to depict Saint John on Patmos as a youthful figure. By contrast, the Eastern tradition tended to represent him as an old man. In this regard, if we accept that the author of the Apocalypse was Saint John the Evangelist, he would have been approximately ninety years old at the time of its composition. However, painters such as Francisco Pacheco portrayed Saint John the Evangelist on multiple occasions and, notably, tended to depict him as a young man.

With painted scene of two females, one in profile and the other in three-quarter view holding a lit candle; mounted in a lead came. 260 grams, 20.7 cm



Private collection, London, UK.

With a finely painted profile head of a young woman, her hair being roughly gripped by the large hand of a male executioner, mounted in a lead-came frame. 64 grams 10.5 cm



Tomkinson’s Stained Glass Ltd, 2011.

This meticulously painted fragment would originally have been part of a much larger scene detailing the life of a female martyr. Such narratives became popular in the later Middle Ages thanks to the widespread dissemination of collected accounts detailing the lives of saints, most famously the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine.

Irregular window fragment with male head, female bust and woodland setting, mounted in lead cames. 215 grams, 17 cm



De Baecque Vente aux Encheres, 5 March 2022, no.51 (Part).

Comprising: matched pair, each a discoid panel with lead frame, inner quatrefoil of coloured glass with central square frame; modern hooks for suspension. 3.7 kg total, 38 cm wide each



Charles van der Heyden, Rotterdam, until 1994; by descent within the family until 2020.

The bust-length image of the grieving saint depicted with long, flowing blond locks, gazing upwards, a book tucked under his arm; the surround made up of mainly dark blue glass panel fragments. 566 grams, 24.6 cm high



The Monastery Stained Glass, Towcester, 2010.

Rectangular panel formed from a central disc, arms and quadrants; at the centre, Christ kneeling on a patch of grass between two high, rocky outcrops, extending his hands in prayer towards a golden chalice perched among rocks above him; around him, three disciples who recline in sleep, having failed to keep watch over Christ, all three clothed in full-length garments; a small bridge over a running brook separating Christ and his sleeping disciples from the approaching figures of Judas Iscariot and a group of armed Roman soldiers arriving to arrest Christ; mounted in lead-cames. 497 grams, 24.5 cm



Ex Fritz Geiges (1853-1935) collection, Freiburg im Breisgau. Walther Bremen collection, Krefeld, by 1964. Lempertz, Cologne, 2005, no.196. Klaus Tiedemann collection, acquired from the above. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13479-262829.

The scene is one of the key moments leading up to Christ's Crucifixion that is described in detail in all four of the Gospels: the agony of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.

Nimbate bust of the Virgin Mary in three-quarter view, wearing a veil and wimple, her hands pressed together in prayer; dark blue background simulating a cloth, decorated with a pattern evoking luxury velvets and damascened silks of the higher echelons of late-medieval society. 610 grams, 28 cm



The Monastery Stained Glass, Towcester, 2010.

The employment of shading technique characterised by thick black hatching marks over a stippled ground tone is a defining feature of Bavarian glass painting from the late 15th century to the first decades of the 16th century.