Indus Valley Style Terracotta Vessel Group

Representing the Vladimir Mother of God with the Divine Child; the half-length figure Mary with covered head turned right and with her left hand raised; holding the embracing infant Jesus in her right hand; above them inscription in Greek letters 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' (Mother of God); flanking the central icon and beneath it the images of the Saints Peter, Paul, Peter of Moscow and John Chrysostomos, Saint Gregory and Saint Dimitri; in the foreground the city of Vladimir. 96 grams, 60 mm



Acquired from Chris Martin-Zakheim, Iconastas, 5 Piccadilly Arcade, London SW1. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s.

The original icon prototype of these smaller icons was the icon of the Virgin Mother of Vladimir with the infant Jesus (the original preserved in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), probably the most famous icon of Russia, which was thought to have been created in Constantinople in the early part of 1100s. This image is sometimes referred to as the ‘tenderness icon’, with artists attempting to show the close relationship of mother and son with their cheeks touching as they embrace.

Robust moulded glass bottle of bell-shaped form with deep pontil base, tapering neck and rolled rim with chamfer; lost in the Solent on Sunday 19th February 1758. 843 grams, 20.5 cm



From the private collection of author and historian Dr DeWitt Bailey, one of the global authorities on the confederate army in the US civil war; thence by descent to his grandson.

Cruciform in plan with scrolled head to each arm joined to its neighbours with a pellet finial, low-relief foliage detailing, integral loop, incised voided cross to reverse. 9 grams, 54 mm



Acquired from Chris Martin-Zakheim, Iconastas, 5 Piccadilly Arcade, London SW1. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s.