Bronze Knocker Decorated with Lion Mask

Rectangular leaf with hand-coloured composite scene: right, Mary in blue mantle and rich embroidered red garment holding the fallen priest by the hand and raising him; behind him a prone male figure in colourful robes (the priest represented for the second time); ecclesiastic architecture on the background; a manuscript folio with text in Ge'ez to the reverse. 27 grams, 31.5 x 22 cm



Private collection, New York, circa 2016. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The image refers to the 'Miracle of the healing of the Priest' in which a priest, who had grown old in the service of the Virgin Mary, fell over in the church when bowing before her, and broke his back. The Virgin appeared and healed his broken bones.

Barrel-shaped hoop with incised inscription 'Corte Porta Amor' (The Heart Brings Love [To You]) amid tendrils and flowers; applied gold triangle to each shoulder, gold cel with inset facetted ruby-coloured gem. 11.30 grams, 24.72 mm overall, 19.18 mm internal diameter (approximate size British S, USA 9, Europe 20, Japan 19)



Private collection, Arundel, West Sussex, UK, 1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Shallow silver-plated outer case with lateral drop handles and lipped lid with impressed '2' to rim, bae with incised heraldic motif of a dragon crest beneath a coronet within a buckled garter and motto 'Ung Je Servirai' (I will serve only one); two base metal dishes with ropework borders inside. 1.42 kg, 23 cm



From Highclere Castle from the 1950s onwards. Acquired from Newbury Antique Emporium. Property of a Berkshire, UK, gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The motto is that of the Fitzherbert family, the Earls of Carnarvon. Probably the best-known bearer of that title is George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon (1866 -1923), who financed the exploratory excavations of Howard Carter which resulted in the discovery and publication of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen in the 1920s. On 19 March 1923, Carnarvon contracted blood poisoning after accidentally shaving a mosquito bite infected with erysipelas. He died a few days later on 5 April, in the Continental-Savoy Hotel in Cairo. This unexpected and untimely death gave rise to the story of the 'Curse of the Mummy'. He is buried in a tomb at Beacon Hill, Hampshire and the family lives in Highclere Castle nearby. Highclere is the location chosen for the filming of the BBC drama series 'Downton Abbey'.