Post Medieval Victorian Door Knob

Of octagonal form, basket of flowers at centre with linear and foliate borders; repaired. 283 grams, 19 cm wide



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

A copy of the famous Venus of Milo, naturalistically portrayed with her garment having fallen from her shoulders, hanging loose at her waist and exposing her breasts. 34.8 kg, 77 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France.

Aphrodite of Milos, better known as the Venus of Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture known today, created between 130-100 years B.C. The original is currently displayed at the Louvre in Paris.

Comprising three sheets joined together, bearing neat and regular lines of red and black inked script, together with associated images; the text including prayers for barya and evil eye, for Shotäläy and magical machination; the images representing two guardian angels at the top and bottom, Archangels Michael and Gabriel, within a geometric frame; at the bottom a picture of a jewelled cross with red triangles inserted within the arms; the owner's name given as Wällättä Maryam Beré. 56 grams, 1.97 m



Ex Adalberto Frezza, 2006. Ex central London gallery.

The sick looked upon such scrolls as it was believed that the images contained in them had healing powers. The scrolls were prepared by unordained clerics, or debatras, employed by Christian families, a practice which continued into the 20th century. Debatras were skilled at diagnosing the causes of illness, and treated them through scrolls such as that offered here, together with herbal and plant-based remedies; the images and prayers were believed to act on the spiritual source of the ailment, whilst the botanical remedies acted upon the physical symptoms. The scrolls covered the length of the afflicted person's body, providing preventative as well as curative protection and were often passed down through generations of the same family. The patients were often illiterate peasants, and the scrolls written in archaic Ge'ez, a liturgical language comprehended only by clerics; the debatras explained the prayers and the images to the sick. The images are designed to be mesmeric, the penetrating gaze of eyes from within the design giving them a sense of power.