Georgian Silver Cufflink

In late 15th century style, showing nimbate Jesus falling under the weight of the cross, wearing a crown of thorns, led to Calvary by three men-at-arms, two of whom wearing full plate armour while the third, now barely visible, can only be seen in his yellow robe and pink cap; Flemish inscription below ‘DE KRUISDRAGING JESUS’ (Jesus wears the Cross) in uncial letters; some restoration. 4.5 kg, 65 x 53.5 cm

Some restoration.

From a war-damaged church in Belgium. Ex property of a late Northumberland collector. From a private collection, Derbyshire, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The scene represents the tragic moments of the Passion according to the Christian tradition, when Jesus succumbed under the weight of the cross. The episode is not in the Gospels, however, in the three synoptics it is noted that the three soldiers requested Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross in place of Jesus. Interestingly, the artist here painted the soldiers in contemporary armour (sallet, complete armour for breast, arms and legs), giving a good chronological element for the dating.

Hinged construction, openwork medallions showing a meditating figure sitting cross-legged with his arms raised, the circumferential bands separated by human-headed calligraphy panels, engraved geometric and calligraphy covering the surfaces. 604 grams, 13 cm



From the family collection of a Hampstead gentleman; formerly acquired in the 1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Iron flat-section shaft with three tiered cross-bars, the two lowest each with five iron lamp-bowls to the forward face; above, a U-shaped bar with a lamp bowl at each upper end; top of the shaft developing to an anthropomorphic torso with ellipsoid head and two narrow arms raised vertically; chain around the neck with hand-forged extinguishing spoon; mounted on a square base; Dogon, Mali, workmanship. 6.25 kg total, 132 cm including stand



From the private collection of Dr Hans-Joachim Koloss, Berlin, Germany, 1975-2002. Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany, auction 279, no.410. Accompanied by a copy of the Gorny & Mosch invoice and illustrated catalogue listing. Accompanied by a copy of the German cultural export licence. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The figure is probably a Nommo, a primordial ancestral spirit in Dogon cosmogony. A Nommo is usually considered to be amphibious, hermaphroditic and fish-like. They are typically depicted in Dogon art with a humanoid upper torso, and a fish-like lower torso and tail.