Pugio Dagger and Scabbard Reproduction

Oil and tempera, depicting the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus on a plain gold field; Mary wearing a red maphorion mantle over a blue robe, with golden brocade to the hem, in the style of Hodegetria (She who shows the way); the Virgin pointing at Jesus with her right hand, while looking towards the spectator; the infant facing left, resting on Mary's left arm, dressed in white tunic, wrapped in a red-orange shawl, right hand blessing the mother, left hand extended holding a scroll of the Holy Scriptures, while crossing his legs to reveal the naked sole of one of his feet; very effaced Greek inscriptions in red lettering 'ΜΡ ΘΥ (Μήτηρ (τοῦ) Θεοῦ = Mother of God)' flanking Mary's head; inscription in Greek 'ΙϹ ΧϹ' (ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ = Jesus Christ) above the infant; rectangular wooden board with mounting bars to reverse and old collector's label 'Vierge Hodigitria, type Tikhvin, Icone russe du 16eme siècle, achetée á Constantinople…chez Monsieur Captain…peinture transmise sur nouvelle planche [Virgin Hodigitria, Tikhvin type, Russian icon from the 16th century, purchased in Constantinople...from Monsieur Captain...painting moved on a new board]'; border with pointillé lozenges and other detailing. 4.7 kg, 70.3 x 52.5 cm



Acquired on the UK 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. 19929-246334.

According to the legend, this particular icon of the Mother of God appeared in Rus' in 1383 near Veliky Novgorod over Lake Ladoga, and travelled through the air to the Tikhvin River, stopping at several points along the way and performing miracles. On Tikhvin, where the icon came to rest, a stone Dormition Cathedral was built by order of Grand Prince of Moscow Vasil III in 1515, and in 1560, Ivan the Terrible founded the Tikhvin Dormition Monastery near this cathedral. In 1613, the Dormition Monastery withstood the Swedish invasion, and in 1617, the Treaty of Stolbovo was concluded with Sweden. These events were associated with the miraculous intercession of the icon. Until 1936, the icon was kept in the Dormition Cathedral. In 1936, services in the cathedral were discontinued, and the icon was housed in various churches in Tikhvin. In November 1941, Tikhvin was occupied by German troops. The icon was taken abroad and remained in Chicago since the 1950s. In 2004, the icon was again ceremoniously transferred to the Dormition Cathedral of the Tikhvin Monastery.

Mixed group of musket and pistol shot, some with casting nipple still attached, some with impact damage. 1.55 kg total, 8-18 mm



Found Suffolk, UK.

Depicting the Mother of God of Kazan with the Divine Child; the head of Mary slightly turned left towards infant Jesus extending his right hand in blessing; both figures with large haloes and identifying Greek inscriptions 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' (Mother of God) and 'O Ѡ N' (I am); three flowers in the nimbus of the Virgin; knop at the top for the suspension. 34.3 grams, 59 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, also known as the Theotokos of Kazan, is thought to have originated in Constantinople in the 13th century before it was taken to Russia. When the Turks took over Kazan in 1438, the icon was most probably hidden to keep it safe. Ivan the Terrible liberated Kazan in 1552, and the town was destroyed by fire in 1579, after which the icon was found and brought to the Church of Saint Nicholas. It was subsequently stolen in 1904 and never found again, though there are many copies in existence.