Roman Style Bloodstone Gemstone with Hades and Persephone

Rectangular framed souflet reveal with inset stained glass depicting St. Nicholas standing wearing episcopal robes and mitre and holding a golden crozier beside a tub with three nude male infants; with integral backlight and 12V DC transformer and three-pin plug. 33.5 kg total, 100.5 x 80.5 cm including frame



Ex Neil Phillips Stained Glass Ltd, 2018. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12550-230648. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The scene depicts St. Nicholas and the three children whom he saved from death. Tradition has it that three boys were playing in a field during the harvest. They wandered into the city and were soon lost, so they stopped at a butcher's premises to ask for food and a place to sleep. The butcher murdered them and kept their remains salted in a barrel. Some time later, Saint Nicholas visited the premises and commanded the butcher to open the large salting tub where the bodies still lay. Saint Nicholas said “Rise up, children!” and thus he miraculously resurrected the boys.

Iron flat-section shaft with three tiered cross-bars, the two lowest each with five iron lamp-bowls to the forward face; above, a U-shaped bar with a lamp bowl at each upper end; top of the shaft developing to an anthropomorphic torso with ellipsoid head and two narrow arms raised vertically; chain around the neck with hand-forged extinguishing spoon; mounted on a square base; Dogon, Mali, workmanship. 6.25 kg total, 132 cm including stand



From the private collection of Dr Hans-Joachim Koloss, Berlin, Germany, 1975-2002. Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany, auction 279, no.410. Accompanied by a copy of the Gorny & Mosch invoice and illustrated catalogue listing. Accompanied by a copy of the German cultural export licence. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The figure is probably a Nommo a primordial ancestral spirit in Dogon cosmogony. A Nommo is usually considered to be amphibious, hermaphroditic and fish-like depicted in Dogon art with a humanoid upper torso, and a fish-like lower torso and tail.

Five barrels for toy cannons, each with lateral trunnions. 68 grams total, 37-70 mm



Found on various UK sites since 1974. Property of an Essex collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.