Post Medieval Gold Ring with Gemstone representing a Winged Victory Charioteer

Modelled in the half-round bust of a youth with curly locks of hair. 0.72 grams, 13 mm



Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, London, UK.

With the portrait of Christ in tempera and gold on wood panel, with mounting slots to reverse; gessoed board with gilt surface, reserved portrait bust in three-quarters view on a textured field with tendrils, scrolls and other ornament within the nimbus; Christ shown with shoulder-length auburn hair and short beard wearing a scarlet cloak fastened at the centre of the neck and crown of thorns on his head; facial expression of suffering and pain, with drops of blood on his forehead; the icon set in a carved gilded wooden frame with a beaded edge, flanked by two small pillars with rich vegetal decoration and angel heads in the upper part. 7.75 kg, 79 x 58.5 cm



Acquired on the European art market. Private collection, London, UK. 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 search certificate number no.13061-249291.

This splendid specimen represents Christ as ‘Ecce Homo’, when Pilate, in the desperate attempt to save Jesus from Crucifixion, presented him to the people of Jerusalem dressed in a red cloak and wearing the crown of thorns (John, XIX,5).

Vessel of squat spherical form with a broad cylindrical neck, strap handle and foot with rolled rim, bearded face (Bartmann 'mask') and other detailing; with original contents comprising: eight iron clout nails with square-section shank and domed head; three similar with flat head; base metal dress pin with hollow-formed spherical head; similar with biconvex head; fragment of coarse-woven textile with five pins in situ; thirteen unassociated pins. 1.7 kg total, bottle: 26.5 cm



From the private collection of a London, UK, gentleman.

Witch bottles were a response to the common belief in witchcraft, which was feared in the Puritan culture of those times. The process involved heating the victim’s urine in a bottle, mixed with human hair and metal nails and pins, sometimes inserted into a cloth panel representing the victim's heart. The bottle was then either buried under the hearth of a house (East Anglian tradition) or thrown into a river (London tradition). The heating of the bottle was supposed to transfer to the body of the witch who had caused the victim to be afflicted.