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Lot 1
Celtic Harness Brooch. This amazing piece of Ancient British horse furniture dates back to the mid 1st century AD and was discovered in Buckinghamshire. Measuring a substantial 172mm x 128mm and weighing in at 169g this is a really impressive artefact. Horse brooches, as they are known, are thought to have been used with a blanket or caparison, a cloth covering for a horse. It is likely that a leather fixing strap ran through the loop, with the brooch itself pinned to the cloth to cover the junction between strap and fabric. Items of very high status, they are rare finds with only a handful of known examples from Britain. This example is exceptional not only in its size, but also in its state of preservation. Roughly T-shaped in plan, the brooch is made from cast copper-alloy, most probably bronze with a high tin content. This type of high-tin alloy allows for fine casting work and can be polished to give a reflective silvery surface, which is still partially evident on this brooch. It was cast in two pieces, the larger brooch element having an integral lug on the reverse which fits through a piercing in the straight piece allowing for almost 180 degree articulation. The reverse of the brooch is furnished with pair of hinged lugs for the pin and a substantial catchplate. Although the pin itself is missing , rust within the hinge indicates that it was made of iron, as on the other known examples. The reverse of the straight element has a rectangular strap loop at the terminal and, towards the centre shows some ghosting of the frontal design. This is a result of metal shrinking within the mould as it cools and shows that the decoration was cast rather than applied later. The sharpness of the design however indicates it was finished off by hand after casting along with the addition of finely incised linear borders. The front face of the brooch is decorated with champlevé enamel (or red glass) forming a flowing pattern of opposed scrolls with tips that curl like breaking waves. The pattern is replicated in more simplistic form on the terminal at the base of the ‘T’. Emerging from the centre of the upright is a vesica-shaped panel containing a roundel with two circular cells for enamel/glass (now missing). There are two further cells at the junction with the main body. The decoration is in the tradition of the ‘South Western Style’, some of the finest displays of which come from the Polden Hill hoard. The Polden Hill hoard was discovered in June 1800 near Bridgewater, Somerset, when ploughing on a hilltop uncovered around 90 items of late Iron age metalwork which had been concealed in a pit lined with burned clay. The contents included horse harness and chariot fittings, brooches, tools and weapons. Many of the horse and chariot trappings are beautifully decorated and inlaid with red glass. The hoard has been dated to AD 50-70. It contained 24 terret rings, enough to furnish many chariots, but only three horse brooches, implying that very few Iron age chariots would be decorated in such a manner. These were the fashion statements of the elite. Horse and chariot trappings were highly prized possessions and there are numerous examples of terret ring and harness fittings hoards from this period, often of very high quality. It is unclear whether these hoards were buried for safekeeping or given as votive offerings to the Gods. The size of this brooch, its prized status and its dual attachment mechanism make it very unlikely to be a casual loss. More probable is that it was carefully placed in the ground for the above reasons. Buckinghamshire, where this wonderful brooch was found, was once the territory of the Trinovantes and the Catuvellauni, two of the most powerful, and apparently richest, tribes in Ancient Britain. The ‘richest’ claim is based on coin evidence, almost 3000 of their gold coins are recorded on the PAS database and a recent hoard of over 1000 Whaddon Chase type staters will significantly add to that total. Their most famous king, Cunobelin, is estimated to have minted over 1,000,000 gold staters! Two other rulers, Tasciovanos ‘Killer of Badgers’ and Andoco both issued gold staters with a flamboyant design incorporating several hidden faces. The Celts enjoyed employing hidden imagery within their art and this brooch is no exception. Staring out from the base of the brooch can be seen a distinctive face with curving moustache, directly paralleled on the aforementioned gold staters.The use of matching motifs on both coins an artefacts is well known in the Iron age, the Iceni tribe being particularly fond of this, and a gold quarter stater of the Cantiaci actually features a horse brooch on the reverse. Some enamel loss and slight pitting to the surfaces, broken across the pivoting element, otherwise very fine condition.Published in The Searcher magazine March 2021 'Chieftain Chariot Brooch' pp18-22 and featured on the front cover. Recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database: DENO-2BAD49.References:Fox, Sir Cyril Triskeles, Palmettes and Horse Brooches.Brailsford,J. W. The Polden Hill Hoard.Jope, E. M. Early Celtic Art in the British Isles, plates 298-299.
Lot 10
Roman Statuette of Neptune/Poseidon.Circa 1st-4th century AD. Copper-alloy, 147.7 grams. 108.5 mm. A very rare and important Roman bronze statuette depicting Neptune. One off the finest of the very few remaining examples, found in Gloucestershire UK, 2015. Recorded on the PAS database as: OXON-C146AD.The statue depicts Neptune in motion, with the right leg in front of the left, torso slightly twisted, left arm forward and bent at the elbow, and the right arm slightly behind the body bent slightly at the elbow. The head is facing forward and is slightly raised, a long, flowing forked beard coming to rest on the chest. The curly hair is raised above the scalp, and two pony tails extend from the back of the head coming to rest behind the right shoulder. Neptune is portrayed here almost naked, with a sash draped over the left hip and the groin and extending between the buttocks down to the base. A separate fragment of the statue consists of the right hand, which grips the neck of an open mouthed dolphin. The left hand is missing from an old break. Towards the base, attached to the sash near the left ankle is a cylindrical element, possibly a section of the dolphin's body. Martin Henig (University of Oxford) has examined the figure and comments that the object appears to be a heavily leaded bronze depicting Neptune/Poseidon. The god stands holding a dolphin with a crest and possibly holding a trident in the other hand. The figure with its wind or wave swept beard is unusual for Neptune; the expressive face and livelier swing of the body is far superior to other examples. Henig mentions the head of Neptune in stone from Cirencester, the Bodiccan tombstone depicting the head of Oceanus, and a Neptune with mask conflated with a Medusa from Bath (details from Martin Henig pers. comm. in litt.).References:Erika Simon and Gerhard Bauchhenss 1994 Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae VII (Zurich and Munich 1994) pp.483-500.
Lot 102
Bronze posnet or skillet, 15th/16th Century, with long handle and three feet, bearing maker/foundry mark to sides of bowl (either side of handle). The style is very similar to one recovered from the Mary Rose, which sank in 1545, and the foundry mark is consistent with a 16th century date. 450mm x 155mm x 220mm diameter. 3.46kg. Stickers on the base are museum accession numbers.
Lot 123
Post Medieval Knife Handle. Circa 17th century AD. Size: 76.51 mm. A heavy cast bronze knife handle beautifully decorated on both sides with a series of foliate and feather like scrolls with bosses between. The terminal end is curved and detailed with a stylised animal head, below is a scrolled projection. Possibly of Dutch manufacture. Ref: Jacobs, J., 2005. New Netherland: a Dutch colony in seventeenth-century America (Vol. 3). Papin, Pierre and Soulat, Jean. 2017. A knife handle of Dutch style of the 17th century from the royal lodgings of the fortress at Loches (Indre-et-Loire) in Cahiers LandArc 2017 no. 23, 1-8
Lot 14
Byzantine Reliquary Cross. Copper-alloy, 31.32 grams. 76.70 mm. Circa 10th-12th century AD. A large two part two part, hinged bronze reliquary cross, which is complete and apparently unopened. This unusual cross portrays, on one side, Christ with arms extended, wearing a robe (columbium) with cross above. On the other side is a representation of the Virgin Mary, also with arms extended and hands raised (“orans”). The reliquary was probably thought to contain a splinter of the True Cross. Ref: “Kreuz und Kruzifix” (Diocese Museum of Friesing, Germany, 2005) – pgs 174-175. A similar iconography is depicted in Pitarakis “Les Croix-Reliquaries Pectorales” Number 129. Byzantine representations of the Crucifixion which show Christ wearing a robe are normally earlier than those in which he wears a loincloth. Property of an English collector, purchased from a London dealer mid 1980's.
Lot 179
Lucilla Sestertius AD 164-6. Bronze, 26.98 grams. 32.53 mm. Obverse: Draped bust right, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F. Reverse: PIETAS, S C in field. Pietas standing left, right hand extended over lighted altar and holding box of incense in left. Ref: RIC 1756, RCV 5505.Ex. Essex Coins, ex. DNW.
Lot 20
Roman Folding Knife Handle. Circa 2nd - 3rd century AD. Bronze, 16.04 grams. 63.03 mm. An open-work zoomorphic folding knife handle depicting a hare and hound in mid chase. The hound with his snout touching the tail of the hare. Vestiges of the iron fixing pin for the blade can be seen at the hinge end. Ref: Roman Richborough (Bushe Foxm 1949: pl. XXXVI no. 118). Accompanied by an old dealers ticket, found Norfolk.
Lot 21
Celtic Bronze Bust. Circa 1st century BC - 1st century AD. Copper-alloy, 25.16 grams. Size: 24.93 mm. An Iron Age terminal / finial in the form of a bust depicted wearing a cap that covers the entire head. The facial features are worn which suggests it was used / handled regularly giving some indication to its original use. Mills, notes various forms of Celtic head used as mounts, pin terminals and figurines. Ref: Mills, Celtic & Roman Artefacts. p. 22-23.
Lot 23
Roman Swan Head Mount. Circa 2nd century AD. Size: 56.39 mm. A cast bronze mount in the form of a duck or swans head with long neck. The exact use of these strange pieces is not known but they have a connection to the Roman military. Found on a number of military sites here in the UK and Europe, it has been suggested they could be a form of reign guide?. A number have been recorded on the PAS database. Ref: Webster 1958. 74. no. 37, fig. 3.
Lot 25
Roman Bronze Figurine. Date unknown. Copper-alloy, 15.30 grams. Size: 41.71 mm. A cast bronze figurine in the form of a male standing figure. Head facing right, his left hand resting on the top of his scabbard and his right hand holding the sword as if posed to draw. The piece certainly has a lot of age but an exact reference has not been found. From an old collection of metal detector finds.
Lot 26
Roman Bronze Statuette. Circa 1st - 2nd century AD. Bronze, 78.18 grams. Size: 68.14 mm. A rare statuette depicting Zeus in the form of an eagle grasping Ganymede. The statue represents a Greek legend that was adopted by the Romans: A rare UK find from Essex.GANYMEDES (Ganymede) was a handsome Trojan prince who was carried off to heaven by Zeus in the shape of an eagle where he was appointed as cup-bearer of the gods. Ganymedes was also placed amongst the stars as the constellation Aquarius, his ambrosial mixing cup as Crater, and the eagle as Aquila. Ganymedes was often portrayed as the god of homosexual love and as such appears as a playmate of the love-gods Eros (Love) and Hymenaios (Marital Love).Ganymedes was depicted in Greek vase painting as a handsome youth. In some scenes of his abduction he holds a rooster (a lover's gift), hoop (a boy's toy), or lyre. When portrayed as the cup-bearer of the gods he pours nectar from a jug. In sculpture and mosaic art Ganymedes usually appears with shepherd's crock and a Phrygian cap.The boy's name was derived from the Greek words ganumai "gladdening" and mêdon or medeôn, "prince" or "genitals." The name may have been formed to contain a deliberate double-meaning.
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