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LOT 1133
Luristan Bronze Blade
LATE 2ND- EARLY 1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
14 in. (217 grams, 35.5 cm).
Sharply pointed with raised midrib to each face, square shoulders pierced to accept the fixings for the hilt, stub tang.
ProvenanceEx German collection, Cologne, 1980-1990s.
LiteratureSee similar in Christie's, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, part 1, London, 2002, p.34, no.31, p.36, no.33; Malekzadeh, M., Hasanpur, A., Hashemi, Z., 'Fouilles (2005-2006) a Sangtarashan, Luristan, Iran' in Iranica Antiqua, vol.LII, 2017, pp.61-155, pl.32, no.205.
FootnotesThe two holes on the shoulders of the blade provided attachment for a separate hilt. This could have been a penannular grip, which can be seen on some swords from Sangtarashan; or in north-west Iranian blades with rectangular guard and flanged hilt, where the guard was rivetted to the blade, like in some swords in the Axel Guttmann collection.
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Nathan Starr 1816 Pattern Musket
1832 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Type III, made under contract by Nathan Starr of Middletown, CT; with .69 calibre, 107 cm (42”) browned barrel with side lock marked with Starr’s earlier style of 'US / (ornate sunburst) / N. STARR' ahead of the cock and 'MIDDTN / CONN / 1832 / (rosette)' to the rear with 'US / JM' over a raised 'P' in sunken circular cartouche to top of breech, with various inspection and other small marks, fitted with sling swivels (upper possibly a replacement), steel ramrod with flared tip, full wood stock with steel butt plate, trigger guard, side-plate, barrel rings and fore-end, lock with brass pan; action in good working order. 4.10 kg, 148 cm
Acquired from M J Noble Ltd, UK, 2015. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by the Noble purchase invoice and listing.
Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the Firearms Act, 1968, to be held as a curiosity or ornament. No license required but buyer must be over 18 years of age. Overseas bidders should note that, due to UK regulations governing export of all firearms, overseas buyers will need to make arrangements for shipping this lot out of the UK directly, by air freight, with a specialist company or agent. -
Byzantine Ceramic 'Greek Fire' Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £163
Composed of a piriform body with 'feather' design and eccentrically placed domed mouth; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, and used as a hand grenade; chipped foot. 613 grams, 17 cm
Collected before 1970. Ex gallery of C.M., UK. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. Such were the γανωτα, vessels (sometimes also of bronze) used for Greek fire. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form. -
Luristan Bronze Sword with 'Ear' Pommel
10th-9th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
Comprising a long tapering blade, rectangular-section hilt with raised circular bosses, horned crescent-shaped guard curved to accept the blade and a large bifurcated pommel formed as two ear-lobes with ribbed joining shank. 1.17 kg, 66 cm
Acquired in the early-1990s. Ex Guernsey collection. The Kusmirek Collection, UK.
This kind of sword was entirely made of cast bronze. They were characterised by an 'ear' pommel and raised mid-rib on the blade, square shoulders and rectangular, open guard. The handle was cast on the blade. The square and solid sectioned handle has bossed with reinforcements which allow a better grip.
