French Gras Model 1874 Rifle Bayonet

A substantial bronze leaf-shaped blade with raised midrib extending to a short tang, ribbed fullers with curved ends extending to the shoulders. 422 grams, 41.5 cm

Fine condition.

Acquired in the 1990s. With a London, UK, gallery. Property of a London collector; from her family's private collection.

The metalworking techniques used in making bronze weapons in Luristan were very complex. Surfaces were often finished in repoussé work, and some of the weapons were chased, others engraved.

A bronze 'pot' helmet with rounded bowl and flared rim; three sets of paired piercings for attachment of leather cheek-flaps; cracked; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 1.7 kg, 30.5 cm wide

Bowl pierced and cracked.

Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by searcher certificate no.11573-199009.

The ‘pot’ or ‘bell’ helmet, found as early as in an 8th century coffer grave (ad arca) from the Esquiline (Rome) and other graves (Coussin, 1926, p.88, fig.23; Sekunda, Northwood,1995, p.6, grave 94) was made from a single piece of bronze, while later Italic variants were fashioned from jointed plates (Connolly, 1981, p.102, figs.2-2a; Egg, 1988, p.223, variant Vetulonia). The skull was somewhat spherical and with a flared rim: this in some Etruscan and Italic specimens, was rivetted for strength (Egg, 1988, fig.18, p.240, from Picenum, and Murlo and Trestina variants, p.232, fig.10 and p.234, fig.12; Connolly, 2006, p.102, figs.2-2a, from Sesto Calende). The smooth surface of these types of helmets was intended to deflect blows. The ‘calotte’ helmets (Egg, 1988, pl.57) from Rome, as the helmet here, appear to be variants of a similar helmet from Montegiorgio Piceno and from Montelparo (ex Zschille collection). Some of them, like the helmet found in the necropolis of Tolentinum, were decorated with rich engravings. These practical helmets were probably furnished with a leather chinstrap, even though a similar Galea, found in the Tomba del Duce at Vetulonia, (Fossati, 1987, p.50; Egg, 1988, pp.223-224, fig.3, p.231, fig.12) dated to the first half of the 7th century B.C., still had the remains of what was probably a bronze cheek-piece.

A heavy bronze spearhead comprising an oval blade with gently curved shoulders and strong midrib, flat rectangular-section tang tapering to a curved end. 432 grams, 45.8 cm

Fine condition.

Ex Abelita family collection, 1980-2015.

The spearhead belongs to the type V of the heavy spearheads, similar to the ones excavated by Dr. Negahban in Tomb 47 (Trench XXIIE) of the Marlik necropolis. The heavy spearheads, cast in one piece, usually have an oval blade with rounded gently curved shoulders and a rounded midrib near the tang.