.jpg "Celtic Northeast Gaul. Ambiani AR Fraction.")
LOT 3008
Celtic Northeast Gaul. Ambiani AR Fraction. Circa 75-50 BC. Picardy Horse Face type.
Stylised helmet head right, horse's head forming eye and nose / Horse right, with long beaded mane, six armed 'star' in front with ring at centre, two rings above, small horse's head below. LT 8500/8515 var.; BMC 156; Sch/ GB 51, fig. 330; DT 189; Allen 'Les pièces d'argent minces du comté de Hampshire', Revue Numismatique, VI série, VII (1965), p.79-93, pl.V, no.29. Good Very Fine. Toned, great horse, full 'star'. Very rare.(0.48gr, 13mm, 11h.).
ProvenanceEx Chris Rudd, 118, lot 5, ref. no.15074.
From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
As Derek Allen (1965) says, this extraordinary type was ultimately derived from the Pallas Athene silver coins of the Aulerci Cenomani (cf. LT 5967, 5973, 5980, 5985) and heavily influenced the Hampshire Thin Silver series of the British Belgae (ABC 911) and the Chichester Chariot Wheel thin silver of the Regini (ABC 701). This lovely example of the Picardy Horse Face explicitly shows a horse's head emerging from the forehead of the stylised head. The spear is also clearly displayed as part of the helmet. The spidery 'star' symbol in front of the horse can be seen again before the horse on the Yarmouth gold stater of the Regini (ABC 518).
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AUCTIONS:
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Celtic Britannia. Cantii AE Unit. Circa. 50-20 BC. North Thames. Boar and Pentagram type. KE 6.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Boar left, with prominent bristles and upturned snout, branch above, ring in front, ringed-pellet under / Horse stepping right, ring between and above front legs, pentagram under, pellet border. ABC 285; VA 167 var. (ring not ringed-pellet between and above horse's front legs); BMC 2490; S 176. 1.76gr, 14mm, 12h.
Good Very Fine. Glossy brown patina, beautiful boar, well centred round flan. Very rare type. Extremely rare variant.
Found Springhead, Kent, in 2002. Ex Matthew Rich collection. Ex Chris Rudd, 123, lot 9, ref. no.16321. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
Boars are associated with forests; so we may suppose the branch represents a forest of trees. On the other hand it could be a victory palm-branch. The pentagram can be seen on other Cantian coins (ABC 249, 282, 309 and 354) and on the North Thames Dragon Cross silver unit (ABC 2258). -
Celtic Northwest Gaul. Carnutes, Pixtilos AE Unit. Circa 40-30 BC. Class VII.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
PIXTILOS, diademed male head (Apollo?) to right, with a horned snake-like dragon curling down from the top of his head / Nude man, holding a palm branch in his right hand and the reins with his left, riding a horse prancing to right; below, double spiral ornament. Depeyrot, NC V, 89; D&T 2471; Scheers, Pixtilos, class VII. 2.72gr, 16mm, 10h.
Good Very Fine. Beautiful dark green patina.
Ex cgb.fr, Paris (v55_0539). From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent. -
Celtic Britannia. Catuvellauni and Trinovantes, Cunobelin AE Unit. AD 8-41. Cunobelinus Metalworker type.
Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Winged head left, CVNO[B]ELIN around / Metal worker right, TASCIO before. ABC 2969; VA 2097; BMC 1072-83; S 342; CCI 07.0420. 2.25gr, 14mm,10h.
Good Very Fine. Dark holly-green patina.
Found Essex, spring 2001. Ex D Lee collection. Ex Chris Rudd, LL73, lot 44, ref. no.18135. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
