Ancient Style Bronze Dagger

Comprising a painted board with mounting panel and slots to the reverse, gessoed surface with painting of St John the Baptist standing nimbate with wings spread behind him, left hand supporting a bowl containing his severed head and holding an unfurled scroll with Cyrillic text 'Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,' (Matthew 3:2); right hand raised in blessing; landscape with sand-dunes and trees; gilded title above; the upper border with gilt Slavonic inscription reading 'Holy John the Forerunner'; from the Palekh Icon School, probably made in Mstera circa 1890. 1.02 kg, 31 cm high

Fine condition.

Ex property of a London lady, part of her family's collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate no.11546-196366.

The Palekh icon school emerged in the 17th century, inspired by the Moscow and Suzdal traditions of icon painting. Although preserving many features of traditional Russian iconography, the school created its own style that remained active into the 18th century. The hallmarks of the school include the frequent use of gold on the clothes of the saints and a rich palette. Bodies are shown as tall and slender and abrupt transitions between light and shadow are distinctive features of Palekh icons. The wings of Saint John derive from the double meaning of the Greek word used to describe him in Mark 1:2 - Angelos, meaning both messenger and angel. John is often called a 'Heavenly Man' and 'Earthly Angel' in Orthodoxy. At his feet is shown a small tree with an axe cutting into it, illustrating Luke 3:9, 'And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree...'

Depicting the Deesis divided in three panels, with Jesus Christ at the centre, Saint Mary on the left panel and Saint John the Baptist on the right; God holding the Gospel in his left hand and raising his right hand in blessing; Mary with veiled head and mantle, wearing a maphorion mantle over an embroidered robe and holding a scroll; Saint John, portrayed as an elderly man, wearing a camel-skin robe, winged and holding a bowl containing an infant with flexed legs and raised right hand, the saint’s right hand pointing toward the infant Jesus, his left hand holding a scroll with the prophecy of Isaiah, while the right hand is raised in blessing gesture; Old Slavic inscription around the figures: 'ΙC ΧΡ' (Jesus Christ); 'ΜΡ ϴΥ'(Mother of God), ‘Saint John the Precursor’ (Иоа́нн Предте́ча); the images framed by a pseudo-vegetal and abstract decorations; the instruments of the Passion and the city of Jerusalem on the cover. 553 grams, 10 cm



Ex David Miller, Hemel Hempstead, London, UK. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s.

The Deisis or Deesis (Деисус, Gk. for “supplication”) was the depiction of the Virgin, John the Baptist and possibly many more saints interceding with Christ on behalf of mankind.

Silver cell with beaded band to the equator, fragment of suspension loop; inset sardonyx gemstone with possibly later intaglio profile bull on a baseline with head lowered; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 14.81 grams, 32 mm



Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13149-248676.