Kassite, 14th century BC. An exceedingly rare chrome chalcedony cylinder seal with seated profile figure and Sumerian cuneiform inscription in eight columns; depicting a seated bearded divine figure facing left, holding a trident, three right-facing locusts above; the eight lines of scholarly Sumerian cuneiform text with a prayer to Ninurta for the prosperity of Kurigalzu's reign. Accompanied by Professor Lambert's transliteration and translation for each column which reads: (1) dkur-da-ru gada gìr / 'Ninurta, powerful lord' (2) sa? kal šà-aš-DU / 'special chief, foremost' (3) ururu mah an-ta-?ál / 'the lofty city (?) being in heaven' (4) ur-sa? dili-ni rib-ba / 'champion on his own standing out' (5) [di?ir] ní-su-ši ri-a / 'the god moving with a halo of terror' (6) ku-ri-gal-zu / '(on) Kurigalzu' (7) nun nì tuku-tuku-zu / 'the prince who reveres you' (8) bala šà dùg-ga ?ar-bi / 'place a reign of sweet heart'. The seal fitted with an antique gold pin passed through the original longitudinal perforation and a loop to enable it to be worn as a pendant; supplied with a museum-quality impression. Lüle, Çigdem, Non-destructive Gemmological Tests for the Identification of Ancient Gems, in Gems of Heaven, British Museum Research Publication 177, 2012, pp.1-3 for information on chrome chalcedony and its use in ancient times; examined by Dr. Ronald Bonewitz, with a scholarly note from him regarding the fabric of the seal, dated 17 December 2016. Lambert, W.G. Objects Inscribed and Uninscribed, in Archiv für Orientforschung, vol.23, Graz, 1970, p.49; Limet, H. Les légendes des sceaux cassites, Brussels, 1971, p.93, 6.26 and accompanied by copies of both articles, with images therein showing the gold pin in place. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 24 grams, 51mm (2"). Property of a London gentleman; part of his family collection since the 1970s; inherited by the present owner from his father who acquired it between circa 1938 and 1950. The extremely rare green variety of chalcedony was only known to the ancients and the Romans, until circa 3rd century AD, when it disappears from history. It is only known from small worked pieces such as beads and intaglios. The source has been recently discovered as being from northern Turkey (Anatolia"). The colour derives from the presence of chromium; this piece is also of an excessively rare large size; with a printout of the Çigdem paper. Kurigalzu II (circa 1332-1308 BC on the short chronology) was the 22nd king of the Babylonian Kassite dynasty, placed on the throne by the Assyrian king, Aššur-Uballi?, who may have been a family member. He shares the same name as another king who apparently reigned earlier in the same century. Towards the end of his reign, Kurigalzu II turned against his Assyrian allies and defeated them in battle at Sugagu on the River Tigris. Kurigalzu's name is linked to a zaqiqu or 'incubation omen', in which a Kassite king (identified with him) tries to find out why his wife cannot bear a child. The transliteration of the text by Professor Lambert (1970), differs in detail from that of Limet (1971), but generally agrees as to the content of the text. Lambert identifies the text as 'Sumerian of the Cassite period seals, that is, a totally artificial language expressing Babylonian syntax and phraseology in a Sumerian often rich in recondite words and sign-values' and offers a reconstructed Akkadian version of the text as well as an English translation. 'Kuradaru' is a name of the deity Ninurta which occurs only in this text and in two other citations. The text is construed as a 'prayer for the Cassite king Kurigalzu, the second and last of the name, who ruled in the 14th century B.C. 'The seal 'obviously belonged to a servant of the king, but his name is not given.' The god shown seated in a long flounced robe raises his hand 'in a religious gesture ... a Cassite-period rendering of a very common figure on seals from the Old Akkadian to the latter part of the Old Babylonian period'. The three locusts above him may have been intended to identify the god, but if so the information is lost to us. The trident in the god's hand is less well executed than the rest of the design, leading Lambert to speculate that it may be a later addition. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Extremely fine condition. Excessively rare and important; a museum quality exhibition piece.
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1st millennium BC. A limestone cylinder seal, pierced and with bronze rod through the centre; engraved with worshipper standing before the goddess Ishtar; behind another worshipper standing before the Tree of Life; cuneiform inscription between both scenes. 19 grams, 39mm (1 1/2"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Fine condition.
9th-6th century BC. An amethyst cylinder seal with bearded male between winged horses; accompanied by an old scholarly note, written and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: Cylinder Seal of Amethist [sic] 24 x 11mm. Standing god between two winged horses. North Mesopotamia or West Iran. c.900-600 B.C. Condition good. 6.60 grams, 24mm (1"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from Oasis Ancient Art, London, W1, before 1990; accompanied by a report from the late professor Lambert. Very fine condition.
Early 1st millennium BC. A gold figure of a standing male antelope, head turned to the right, horns curving round ears; legs together and short tail. 21 grams, 45mm (1 3/4"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Very fine condition.
3rd millennium BC. A tall carved vessel with conical body and flared rim, decorated by two bands of palm trees and one central line of overlapping mountains or waves. Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Number: 17.190.106.n 1.48 kg, 15.2cm (6"). From an important London, W1, collection; acquired 1960-1980s. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Fine condition, cracked.
2nd millennium BC. A marble figure of a standing goddess, naked, with stylised features to the face; short stump arms and wide hips with engraved pubic triangle; engraved dots to the body and around the pubis and top of legs. 23 grams, 76mm (3"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Very fine condition.
33rd-30th century BC. A group of six lapis lazuli amulets comprising: a bull's head; a rabbit; a crouching feline; a vulture; a reclining ibex; a reclining cow. 12 grams total, 12-19mm (1/2 - 3/4"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. [6] Very fine condition.
2nd millennium BC or later. A large yellow figured agate tabular pendant, with rounded ends and flat top and bottom with projecting pierced lug. 13 grams, 38mm (1 1/2"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Fine condition.
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD. A pair of ceramic figure of a leaping horses, the bodies decorated in red paint with spots to the mane and rump, mouth open to suggest exertion; female rider wearing long robe, the hair drawn into a high bun, hand raised, perhaps to hold attached reins. See Harrist, R. Power and Virtue: The Horse in Chinese Art, New York, 1997. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 9 kg total, 48cm each (19"). From the Cheuk family collection. China entered an aristocratic age after the dissolution of the Han empire. The aristocrats of this period were both families of Chinese ancestry and elites of various non-Chinese peoples settled in the north. The latter were descended from the many peoples who originally occupied steppe territories north and west of the settled farming communities of North China. The imperial families of many of the Northern Dynasties were closely related by marriage alliances which continued into the Sui and Tang. A relatively small number of aristocratic families thus dominated the politics and court life of much of China in the Tang dynasty. Their tastes, fashions and habits became powerful influences on the growth of Chinese culture during this period. This figure was part of the burial assemblage of an important aristocrat and burials were constructed and furnished in accordance with restrictive sumptuary regulations that dictated the kind of tomb and the quality and quantity of grave goods. The aristocracy enjoyed both noble rank and official positions on a scale with as many as nine grades and tombs reflected the position of the owner within the political system. The tomb figures are superb examples of the of both the ceramic and sculptural arts that matured during this period. Their rapid development and high achievements are evidence of a society that placed great demands on the artists who crafted these works and rewarded them for their creativity. [2] Finely modelled.
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD, or later. A hollow-formed ceramic statuette of a courtly lady in draped robe with neatly dressed hair, hands extended, slippers exposed from beneath the robe; subtle cream, green, black and coral-pink colouration. See Prodan, M. The Art of the Tang Potter, London, 1960. 14.5 kg, 82cm (32"). Ex Cheuk family collection. During the Tang Dynasty the feudal system flourished. Political power stabilised, as officials were elected through the Imperial examination system, a system that provided everyone an equal opportunity to become a court officer. Many innovations were made, such as woodblock printing, and Buddhism was first introduced to the Chinese culture. As the economy prospered, Ancient Chinese depictions of beautiful women also developed, as people began to value larger women. Contrary to the typical slender, pale woman, the new image of a beautiful woman that emerged in China at this time was plump and voluptuous. Artworks began to glorify women who valued self-indulgence. More fat on a woman’s body symbolised her wealth, a quality that became increasingly attractive during the Tang dynasty. As the society reached a cultural peak, art began to reflect the carefree, luxurious life of aristocratic women. Finely modelled.
Tang Dynasty, 618-906 AD. A pair of large ceramic figures of foreign grooms with pigment, one facing left, the other facing right; both in belted tunics with large lapels, and wearing trousers with boots; both with beards and wearing caps, the right facing groom similar to a Persian cap; both with arms bent and fists clenched; left facing figure with some restoration. 23.1 kg total, 73-76cm (28 3/4 - 30"). Acquired on the London art market prior to 1980. Supplied with a copy of the item's Thermoluminescence test result, undertaken by Oxford Authentication, certificate number C115f61. Known as mingqi, meaning Spirit utensils, these figures first became popular in the Han dynasty. Tang mingqi integrated the guardian figures and pack animals of the earlier Northern and Southern Dynasties, but also incorporated the many international influences that were popular during this time of stability and expansion. As in the Han dynasty, Tang mingqi frequently take the form of musicians, dancers, and servants in clay, but are ornamented with sancai (three-colour) glaze, an artistic influence that was transmitted from Central Asia along the Silk Road. Foreigners were also frequently depicted, reflecting a cosmopolitan society that embraced exchanges with other groups and cultures. As in the Han dynasty, Tang mingqi were part of a complex tomb program, often with stone statuary lining a spirit road. However, their function was firmly rooted in consolidating power in the earthly world. Important funerals were sponsored by the state and were a way for the imperial government to strengthen ties with influential Chinese families and even solidify loyalty with foreign emissaries and the governments they represented. As in the Han dynasty, Tang mingqi and the larger program of funerary practices reflected ties among the living. Mingqi worked in concert with other tomb objects and architecture to support a larger funerary agenda, the goal of which was to comfort and satisfy the deceased, who was believed to have two souls: the po, which resided underground with the body, and the hun. While the hun could ascend to the skies, funerary rituals sometimes sought to reunite it with the po in the safer realm of the tomb. Here, valuables such as bronzes, lacquers, and silks, frequently decorated with Daoist imagery, surrounded the coffin. Funerary objects such as mingqi worked in concert with other funerary objects, tomb architecture, shrines, and spirit-road sculptures to achieve a goal that exceeded the well-being of the family. According to Confucian doctrine, when every person performed their prescribed social role to perfection, the cosmos would achieve harmony. By ensuring the well-being of the dead, the living promoted accord in the celestial realm and in their own terrestrial existence. Finely modelled.
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD. A pair of terracotta entertainers consisting of: one of a drummer (?) wearing long yellow robes belted at the waist and with a floral pattern running vertically to the neck, hands held up at chest height; a black 'Phrygian' style cap, painted details to the face; a dancing female wearing a knee length yellow tunic, belted at the waist and with red collar, long sleeves over the hands with red cuffs' white trousers and black shoes; hair pulled into pigtails at the sides of the head tied at the top with a red band; painted details to the face. 1.5 kg total, 23-25cm (9 - 9 3/4"). From a German private collection, Cologne. There is a long recorded history of various forms of dance in China. Some Chinese dances today such as dancing with long sleeves have been recorded since the very early periods, dating from the at least as early as the Zhou Dynasty. The most important dances of the early period were the ritual and ceremonial music and dances called yayue, and these dances were performed at the imperial court until the Qing dynasty, but only survive today as performances in Confucian ceremonies. The art of dance reached a peak in the Tang Dynasty, and the dances of the period were highly diverse and cosmopolitan, dances from Central Asia in particular were popular. A great number of dances were recorded in the Tang dynasty, for example there are over sixty Grand Compositions alone which are large scale performances from the Tang court, and there were tens of thousands of musicians and dancers at the Imperial palaces. The art of dance however declined after the Tang dynasty. This is due in part to the increasing popularity of the practice of footbinding, which may have first arisen from dancers themselves but later tighter binding limited their movements, and greater social restriction placed on women may have also led to a virtual elimination of female dancers. [2] Finely modelled.
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD. A ceramic figure of a prowling bear with detailing to the face and mane, hole to the underside; traces of pigment to the face. 1.43 kg, 25cm (9 3/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000; accompanied by a copy of Thermoluminescence analysis report no. C116p74, by Oxford Authentication. Finely modelled.
Warring States, 475-221 BC. A bronze vessel with cylindrical body with two separate horizontal bands decorated with low relief gilt frieze of wheeled covered vehicles and retainers on horseback; tao-t'ieh masks with lose rings; supported on three legs in the shape of bears with carnelian turquoise inlays; to the lid a stylised mountain with ring with series of deer and birds below; frieze with mounted archers hunting deer; to the frieze three rats on hind legs. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 2.1 kg, 22cm (8 1/2"). Property of a London collector; by inheritance from his grandfather; acquired during travels in the Far East in the 1920s. The zun is a type of ancient Chinese bronze or ceramic wine vessel with a round or square vase-like form, and sometimes in the shape of an animal. Used in religious ceremonies to hold wine, the zun has a wide lip to facilitate pouring. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Fine condition. Professionally cleaned and preserved by Colin Bowles Ltd.,with photographic records a copy of the original invoice for the work done.
Tang Dynasty, 618-906 AD. A parcel-gilt silvered lidded container with flared foot; the sidewall undulating with band of parcel-gilt lotus-petal foliage on a hatched field, similar band to the edge of the lid; to the upper face, two winged lions leaping amid tendrils and flowers on a textured field; foot with parcel-gilt rim, four columns of calligraphic text to the underside. Cf. similar vessel made for Emperor Yizong in Michaelson, C. Gilded Dragons: Buried Treasures from China's Golden Age, London, 1999, item 107. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 875 grams, 17.5cm (6 3/4"). Property of a London collector; bought at Wichita auction, New York, December 2015. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Very fine condition.
19th century AD. A bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara seated on a lotus throne with legs crossed; loin cloth decorated with floral pattern, strings of necklaces falling down body; four arms with armlets and bracelets and with upper left hand holding string of prayer beads, upper right holding a lotus flower, two lower hands in prayer posture and holding a jewel; urna between the brows, eyes half closed in meditation; elaborate crown with floral projections, hair pulled up into a top knot. 4.03 kg, 37.5cm (14 3/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
19th century AD. A carved Tang style marble statue of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara modelled in the round in Tang Dynasty style, standing with loosely draped robes to the hips, sashes and ribbons to the torso, carefully dressed hair with ten facing masks to the hair; mounted on a custom-made stand. Cf. Lee, S. A History of Far Eastern Art, New York, 1994, fig. 222. 70.5 kg, 109cm including stand (43"). Ex Kinnaird collection, Oxford, UK, formed in the early 1980s; thence by decent 2015. The Sanskrit name Avalokiteshvara means the lord who looks upon the world with compassion, and is the embodiment of great compassion. He has vowed to free all sentient beings from suffering. In China he is known as Guan Yin and in Japan as Kannon where he is primarily worshipped in female form; after the Buddha he is the most popular figure of devotion. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is has great powers and can help all sentient beings by taking on many forms. In Buddhist art, Avalokiteshvara is sometimes shown with eleven heads, a thousand hands with eyes on the palms of each hand. The thousand eyes allow the bodhisattva to see the sufferings of sentient beings, and the thousand hands allow him to reach out to help them. Avalokiteshvara has postponed his own Buddhahood until he has helped every sentient being on earth achieve liberation from suffering and the process of death and rebirth. He guards the world in the interval between the departure of the historical Buddha, Gautama, and the appearance of the future Buddha, Maitreya. Worship of the bodhisattva under the name of Guanyin was introduced into China as early as the first century AD and had entered all Buddhist temples by the sixth century. Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the early Song dynasty (960–1279) are unmistakenly masculine in appearance. During the Song, some images were male and some displayed attributes of both genders. Since at least the eleventh century, however, Avalokiteshvara has been primarily worshipped as a beautiful young woman; this is how the bodhisattva continues to be primarily worshipped in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as in some areas of Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. Fine condition, hands and feet absent.
1st-4th century AD. A carved schist head of Buddha with wavy hair and top-knot, urna to the brow; mounted on a custom-made stand. 20.2 kg, 42cm including stand (16 1/2"). Property of a London collector, acquired early 1990s. From the first to the fourth century AD the Gandahra region in the northwest of ancient India flourished as a major commercial and cultural centre under the rule of the Kushans, a nomadic people of Central Asian origin who after a protracted migration settled in Gandhara. Art produced there during the Kushan period illustrates the multiculturalism that had long defined this region. Greek styles and images were first introduced with Alexander the Great's conquest of the area and remained vigorous through contact with the expanding Roman Empire. They joined indigenous Indian traditions and those associated with Parthian and other cultures in a pool of stylistic forms available to artists during the period. This head displays some facial features that are similar to portraits of Alexander the Great, and the treatment of the hair shows clear Hellenistic influences. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Fine condition.
1st-3rd century AD. A schist arched frame in the form of the Bodhi tree with numerous branches and leaves, small figure of the Bodhisattva Maitreya with hands raised in blessing; to the inside of the arch fragment of the nimbus of Buddha; mounted on a custom-made stand. 14.40 kg total, 40cm including stand (15 3/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
7th-9th century AD or later. A very large ceramic statue of a standing female wearing a long folded robe holding a bundle of dark blue flowers; circular face with tall nose, curved lips, almond-shaped eyes with blue pigment on eyelids, elongated ears, curly hair with remaining of black pigment; adorned with two necklaces and a bracelet on each hand formed from four rows of globular beads. See similar pose in Cleveland Museum of Art, Accession Number 1967.41. 35.1 kg, 105cm (41 1/4"). From an important London, W1, collection; acquired 1960-1980s. Figures of attendants and donors figure prominently amongst the representation of mortals in Gandharan Buddhist art. The tradition of including their portraits, albeit highly idealised, appears to have been commonplace in Kushan period art. Fine condition, some restoration.
3rd-2nd millennium BC. A broad terracotta jar with band of polychrome panels to the shoulder featuring a bull with birds, gryphon, and two fish. See Satyawadi, S. Proto-Historic Pottery of Indus Valley Civilisation: Study of Painted Motifs, Perspectives in Indian Art and Archaeology, vol.2, New Delhi, 1994. 3.1 kg, 35cm (13 3/4"). From an important London collection of Bronze Age pottery; formed 1970s-1980. Fine condition.
Post-Classic Period, mid 10th-early 16th century AD. A large carved jadeite head of a spider money with large circular eyes, wide flat nose and slightly opened mouth, pierced for suspension. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. 94 grams, 45mm (1 3/4"). From an important London, W1, collection; acquired 1960-1980s. In Maya mythology, monkeys were patrons of arts and writers. We may presume this due to their depiction on vases during the Classic Period, and from the later written source Popol Vuh. This tells us that there were twin brothers, Hun Batz and Hun Chouen, both skilled in music and art. After a struggle with their brothers, the famous hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque, they were transformed into monkeys; Hun Batz becoming the howler monkey and Hun Chouen the spider monkey. These monkey twins occur widely in Classic Maya art as the patron gods of writing, art and mathematics where they are sometimes rendered as actual monkeys, or as humans with monkey attributes. Another story from the same source tells us that after one of the unsuccessful creations of humankind, people made of wood survived the destruction and became monkeys. In Classic art, the spider monkey frequently personifies licentiousness and sexual abandon. The presence of great numbers of monkey figures in the art of Classic Veracruz may reflect a similar association with the monkey and sexual license. This carving was most likely used as an applique for a larger adornment. Dr Bonewitz notes: 'This is classic jadeite from Mesoamerica. Its source was only discovered in the late 1970s. The other stone known as jade is nephrite, which is unknown in Mesoamerica'. [A video of this lot is available on the TimeLine Auctions website] Very fine condition.
8th-5th century BC. A large green serpentine standing anthropomorphic figurine, with elongated bald head and cranial deformation, rectangular eyes, wide nose, slightly opened mouth with massive everted upper lip uncovering teeth, pierced rectangular ears; the knees bent and hands pierced to hold an offering(?"). See Fowler Museum at UCLA, Accession number X85.864; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Accession number: 1990.219. 964 grams, 20.6cm (8"). From an important London, W1, collection; acquired 1960-1980s. The Olmecs established major centres along the riverine lowlands of the modern Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco, from approximately 1500 BC. The fertile gulf plain probably allowed for an agricultural surplus, controlled by only a handful of individuals. Olmec culture is identified as the oldest of the Mesoamerican civilisations, and many important elements of Mesoamerican art and architecture can be seen to have had a probable Olmec origin. This figure is very similar to one from Offering Four at La Venta. This comprised of a group of fifteen jade and serpentine figures that were specifically set out so that the one figure made from the base stone of granite faced the group made from precious stones. It is possible that the scene recreates a judgement against the lone figure, or possibly a sacrifice scene. Other individual, sinewy jades which are almost feline in their posture have been found in the Olmec heartland. Very fine condition.
14th-16th century AD. A large brass pen box of rectangular shape with rounded corners, composed of a main body, a lid with two hinges and a decorated clasp on the opposite side; with very fine silver and gold inlay of geometric, vegetation and bird motifs around the whole surface; inserted a receptacle with inscribed lid. See Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession number 17.190.822, 91.1.536. 1.02 kg, 25cm (9 3/4"). From an important London, W1, collection; acquired 1960-1980s. Muslim metalworkers produced large numbers of pen boxes, known as Qalamdan, many of which were richly decorated with inlays of gold, silver, and copper. A typical medieval Islamic calligrapher's pen box is an elongated rectangular object with rounded corners, about ten inches long, three inches wide, and two inches tall. The interior includes a receptacle to hold the inkwell in one corner while the remaining space is reserved for a variety of reed pens and penknives. Pen boxes were usually inscribed with positive words such as glory, victory, prosperity, wealth or generosity; however we can also find more personalised inscriptions for the owner. The development of Islamic calligraphy is strongly tied to the Qur'an; chapters, and excerpts from the Qu'ran is a common and almost universal text upon which Islamic calligraphy is based. Deep religious association with the Qur'an, as well as suspicion of figurative art as idolatrous has led calligraphy to become one of the major forms of artistic expression in Islamic cultures. Very fine condition.
Don Valley, 2nd century AD. A silver figure of a juvenile moose, head held down, eyes inlaid with bronze, small antlers and large ears; teardrop-shaped recesses between the shoulders and top of front and back legs inlaid with turquoise, red and pale blue glass. See exhibition catalogue, Die Krim (Crimea) - Landes Museum, Bonn, 2013-14, p.57; and in the same exhibition, another in silver, p.304; the closest parallel is from the handle on a gold vessel from Novocherkassk on the lower Don found in 1864, ref. Minns, Ellis H. Scythians and Greeks, Cambridge, 1913, p.235. 173 grams, 70mm (2 3/4"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Very fine condition. Rare.
10th-12th century AD. A bronze lamp with conical foot, bulbous body with lateral lion-head lugs and long scooped spout with heart-shaped flange, loop handle with bird above modelled in the round, hinged domed lid with knop handle. 620 grams, 17.5cm (7"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. Fine condition.
3rd-4th century AD. An iridescent glass jar with dimple base, bulbous body flange to the neck; applied bulbs of green and iridescent glass. 68 grams, 76mm (3"). Property of a Swedish collector; previously with Helms Antikvitetshandel; formerly in the Marti and Tony Oppenheimer collection; formerly with Gideon Sasson Ancient Art, Jerusalem. [No Reserve] Fine condition.
1st-4th century AD. A group of bronze objects comprising: a figure of a horse; a bow brooch with three facetted onion-shaped knops, deep bow and rectangular footplate; a pin topped with the figure of a bird; a herm with tenon arms and suspension ring to the top. 74 grams total, 43-88mm (1 3/4 - 3 1/2"). From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. [4, No Reserve] Fine condition.
1st-20th century AD. A group of mixed items comprising: a large lead button; a silver Russian Orthodox cross; a bronze fitting in the form of a running dog; a Roman bronze ring with clasped hands to the bezel; a Japanese netsuke carved from a nut with the figure of three scholars; a silver ring with palmette shoulders and set with a oval black onyx stone; a silver ring set with a miniature blue glass cameo of a female. 83 grams total, 18-73mm (3/4 - 2 3/4"). Acquired on the German art market in the 1990s. [7, No Reserve] Fine condition.
1st-3rd century AD. A carved marble figurine of a gladiator in kilt with pteruges, scale manica to the left arm with strap to the chest, left hand gripping the hilt of a gladius. See Shadrake, S. The World of the Gladiator, Stroud, 2005. 387 grams, 12cm (4 3/4"). Acquired on the London art market prior to 1980. The exact identification of the type of gladiator represented by this statue is not possible due to the figure not wearing certain pieces of equipment that would have helped identify his class. However, the inclusion of the manica, or arm guard, narrows it down to a few possibilities, such as the murmillo, retiarius, eques or the hoplomachus. The fact that the figure is shown at ease without a helmet, or much body armour, suggests that the statuette is that of a victorious gladiator. Fair condition.
1st century AD. A thick piece of coarse mortar with a thin layer of plaster painted with the scene of a bird standing on a small plant looking at a taller plant; bird's wing to the upper corner. 1.12 kg, 18.5cm (7 1/4"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Fine condition.
2nd century AD. A bronze plate brooch formed as four radiating profile horse-heads each with notched mouth, curled ear; hinged pin and catchplate to the reverse. See Heynowski, R. Bestimmungsbuch Archaeologie: Fibeln, Munich, 2012, item 3.26.14 for type. 8.72 grams, 30mm (1 1/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
3rd-4th century AD. A slightly domed bronze discoid military phalera with incised concentric circles, applied central repoussé plaque with image of a horseman with one raised arm and hunting dog beneath the steed; central hole to the reverse. See Stephenson, I.P. Roman Infantry Equipment: The Later Empire, Stroud, 1999, for discussion; Stewart, A. Faces of Power: Alexander's Image and Hellenistic Politics, California, 1993. 32 grams, 85mm (3 1/2"). UK art market, acquired prior to 1980. The image is of Alexander the Great on his favourite horse, Bucephalus, accompanied by his dog, Peritas. A similar image to this one can be seen on the so called Alexander sarcophagus now in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum, as well as a decorative ivory applique from a couch found in the tomb of Philip II. Fine condition.
2nd-3rd century AD. A pale blue glass vessel with bell-shaped base and recessed underside, tapering tubular body with everted and folded rim. Cf. Whitehouse, D. Roman Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, vol.1, New York, 1997, item 259. 57 grams, 15cm (6"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
1st century AD. A pale blue iridescent glass flask with bell-shaped body, dimple base, tapering neck, flared and rolled rim. Cf. Whitehouse, D. Roman Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, vol.1, New York, 1997, item 247. 73 grams, 20.5cm (8"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition, some surface accretion.
1st century BC-1st century AD. A bronze bust of Silenus with fleshy features, thin beard spread over a thick mantle; mounted on a custom-made stand. Cf. Rolland, H. Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 474. 130 grams, 69mm including stand (2 3/4"). Property of an Essex collector; acquired on the European art market. Very fine condition.
Early 1st century AD. A fine grained marble high relief panel with head of a female in profile, shield-shaped earring and hair swept behind ear and arranged into a plait pulled up the back of the head, in the so-called Julio-Claudian style; mounted on a custom-made stand. 7.88 kg, 37cm including stand (14 1/2"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. The hairstyle would date the piece to the reign of the Emperor Augustus, which is seen on a number of portraits of female members of the Imperial family, notably the statue of Julia, daughter of Augustus, now in the Montemartini Museum, Rome. It was the wife of Augustus, Livia, who made the hairstyle popular and it is believed that it was a variation of hairstyles popular among the Ptolemaic royal family. This has been interpreted as a deliberate reference to Octavian's seizure of the kingdom of Cleopatra VII after his victory over Mark Anthony and the Egyptian fleet at the Battle of Actium. Fine condition.
13th-15th century AD. A carved rectangular wooden stamp with voided Maltese cross within a frame; to the reverse, a later bronze rosette plaque and suspension ring. See Caseau, B. Magical Protection and Stamps in Byzantium in Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 219 - Seals and Sealing Practices in the Near East, Leuven, 2012 for discussion. 36 grams, 56mm (2 1/4"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve] Fine condition, usage wear.
8th-12th century AD. A square-section bronze rod with three faces segmented, two with ring-and-dot motifs to each segment; ring and D-shaped plaque finial. 144 grams, 42cm (16 1/2"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
6th-9th century AD. A bronze ring bezel with intaglio scene of nimbate Mary Theotokos seated, infant Jesus on her lap, altar with cross and hatched surface, two nimbate supplicants. 6.23 grams, 18mm (3/4"). Ex the property of a Mayfair gentleman; acquired on the London art market. Fine condition.
8th-12th century AD. A bronze cauldron with three stub legs, slightly flared rim with two ledge handles. 3.6 kg, 25cm (9 3/4"). Property of a North London gentleman; acquired from a private Cologne collection; previously acquired on the German art market in the 1990s. [No Reserve] Fine condition.
4th-3rd century BC. A silver repoussé vessel with wide, irregular shaped mouth with chevron pattern to the short neck; to the body four high relief arched panels each with the figure of a naked male holding offerings. 99 grams, 85mm (3 1/4"). Property of a London gentleman; acquired from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000. Fine condition.
14th-10th century BC. A large triangular Bronze Age spearhead with rounded tip, median ridge and round-section tang, rounded shoulders with thickened outer edges. Cf. Khorasani, M.M. Arms and Armour from Iran - The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period, Tuebingen, 2006, p.628, Cat.275, inventory no.25383/8380. 322 grams, 39.5cm (15 1/2"). Property of an Essex gentleman; acquired on the UK art market. [No Reserve] Fine condition.
10th-15th century AD. A mixed iron group comprising: four tanged arrowheads with leaf-shaped blades; two square-section tanged quarrel heads; two square-section socketted quarrel heads; a socketted arrowhead with twisted neck; a leaf-shaped socketted arrowhead. 76 grams total, 45-88mm (1 3/4 - 3 1/2"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. [10] Fine condition.
1250-600 BC. A bronze axehead with oval socket and knob to rear; the blade square in section with spatulate edge, bent over at right angles for use as an offering. 329 grams, 17cm (6 3/4"). Property of a North London gentleman; acquired from a private Cologne collection; previously acquired on the German art market in the 1990s. [No Reserve] Fine condition.
1st millennium BC. A very large heavy flat axehead with small flanges to the side, body widens to the centre. 1.82 kg, 19cm (7 1/2"). Property of a North London gentleman; acquired from a private Cologne collection; previously acquired on the German art market in the 1990s. [No Reserve] Fair condition.
9th-11th century AD. A hollow ceramic biconical vessel decorated with thick conical nozzle; to the shoulders and body lozengiform lugs extending to the conical base. See W. Arendt Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 480 grams, 15cm (6"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A hollow ceramic vessel, piriform in profile; incised line above the point, the wide circular rim enclosing the narrow mouth. See W. Arendt Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind, Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton, ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p.16. 609 grams, 11cm (4 1/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. Fine condition.
2nd millennium BC. A bronze axehead comprising a tubular socket with thickened rim above mouth to the lower rim, D-shaped rear flange with median rib, narrow blade with curved edge. Cf. Godard, F. The Art of Iran, London, 1965, item 86. 244 grams, 12.5cm (5"). Ex Cologne private collection. Fine condition.
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