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Click here to subscribeAssorted collectable's to include, World War I Princess Mary tin, collection of commemorative medals, two pen knives, bronze plaque, address finder, and a collection of vintage wrist watches, to include a Tissot Seastar gold-plated watch, with baton numerals and a pair of cased French 'Deraisme', Paris, binoculars (Q)
A rare Jack Chalker ( British Born 1918 ) bronze bust study of a child being raised on a large wooden plinth. Bearing notation to the base for the Royal Bath & West Show exhibit No 67 Jack Chalker, who has died aged 96, was a British artist who drew and painted the atrocities he witnessed as a prisoner of war on the Burma-Siam Railway, also known as the “Death Railway”.Made famous by Pierre Boulle’s book (and David Lean’s film) The Bridge on the River Kwai, the railway is now a byword for war crimes. More than 12,000 Allied prisoners perished during its construction, along with at least 90,000 Asian labourers On Chalker’s release in 1945 he joined the Australian Army HQ in Bangkok as a war artist; some of his work was used in evidence at the Tokyo war trials. On his return to England he resumed his studies, graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1951.For more than a decade after his repatriation he could not sleep properly. Nor could he look at his drawings and paintings: it would take 40 years for him to take his works out of the box in which they were stored.In 1950, after teaching History of Art at Cheltenham Ladies’ College he became principal of Falmouth College of Art and, in 1957, principal of West of England College of Art, where he remained until his retirement in the mid-1980 Measures: 88cms high x 122cms wide x 9cms deep.
Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, ca. 712 to 343 BCE. A wonderful cast bronze representation of a cat, sprawled on one side, one of her front paws crossed over the other in a pose recognizable to any cat fancier, gazing forward; at her side are her three nursing kittens. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2.2" L x 1.7" W x 1.3" H (5.6 cm x 4.3 cm x 3.3 cm); height on stand: 2.8" (7.1 cm)The felines are all realistically modeled and light incised details give the mother cat a beautiful, wavy coat. They are posed on a slightly curved bronze platform with raised edges. The piece was perhaps a cuff or applique. The ancient Egyptians, rather uniquely among the world's civilizations, had an obsession with cats, both tame and fierce, large and small. Cats were domesticated to help protect crops from pests in Cyprus or possibly Mesopotamia (it is difficult to interpret the archaeological record on this matter for a variety of reasons), but the Egyptian love of cats seems to have gone above and beyond that of their contemporaries. The cemetery at Hierakonpolis includes a cat skeleton in a pre-Dynastic tomb (ca. 3700 BCE) that had a broken left humerus and right femur that seem to have been set by a human and allowed to heal before that cat's ultimate death. The first illustration of a cat with a collar comes from a 5th Dynasty (ca. 2500 to 2350 BCE) Egyptian tomb at Saqqara. Cats were the most frequently mummified animal in Egypt and there were multiple feline goddesses, including the domesticated cat-form Bastet. Bronze statues like this one may have been direct offerings or appeals to Bastet; they appeal to the cat's fertility and tender motherly care, while her pose with ears up emphasizes her alertness and ability to protect her young.For a similar example see no. 93 in Mottahedeh, ed., "Out of Noah's Ark, Animals in Ancient Art from the Leo Mildenberg Collection"; see also "Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt", organized by Yekaterina Barbash, Associate Curator of Egyptian Art, Brooklyn Museum. Provenance: Ex- Private New York collection Condition: Piece is a fragment, as shown, but cat and kittens are all intact, with excellent remaining details and a smooth, dark patina over the surface. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120673
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A cast bronze chariot attachment, for placement on the wheel hub, terminating in three standing, dancing bears. Comes with custom stand. Size: 1.2" L x 1.7" W x 3.7" H (3 cm x 4.3 cm x 9.4 cm); height on stand: 5.25" (13.3 cm).The bears have simple features, with wide arms outstretched almost to touch each other (two do, but that seems to be a result of post-production bending rather than intention). They stand atop a round, hollow tube with a wider central section and cast rope-like designs around the exterior marking out each of the three sections.Dancing bears were a common form of spectacle in Rome: authors like Lucian and Seneca, decrying the roughness of the Roman citizenry, describe serious plays interrupted by crowds chanting for athletic feats, tumbling, and bear dancing. Here they are playful, perhaps reflecting a personal favorite entertainment of the person who commissioned this piece. Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Slight bending to body, especially around center area. Smooth, dark green patina over surface. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120865
Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd century CE. A superb bronze chariot fitting finely cast via the lost wax process, depicting Minerva (the Roman version of Athena), the goddess of wisdom, medicine, art, commerce, and military victory, here depicted in her warrior guise, donning a crested helmet and battle dress with a finely detailed aegis of Medusa, a goatskin shield with a fringe of snakes in relief. According to Greek mythology, when Perseus killed the gorgon Medusa, whose face turned men to stone, he gave Medusa's head to Athena who placed it on her aegis. Size: 3.875" W x 8.375" H (9.8 cm x 21.3 cm)Roman chariots were not used for warfare, but instead in special events like triumphal processions. As a result, elaborate finials like this became de rigueur, lending a unique look to each chariot, where they were mounted on posts above each wheel. Furthermore, featuring Minerva on one's chariot would have added immense symbolism associated with military victory. Regarded as the daughter of Jupiter, from whose head she purportedly was born, Minerva was initially worshipped in Rome as one of the Capitoline Triad along with Jupiter and Juno. At first she was revered as the goddess of handicrafts, poetry, and the arts in general. Over time, Minerva's stature grew within the Roman pantheon and she became the most important focus of the Quinquatrus festival, which previously had been the domain of Mars, whose amorous affections she famously refused. The five-day festival began on March 19th marking the beginning of the Roman army's campaign season. Minerva also became associated with the concept of victory, as illustrated by Pompey's dedication of a temple to her following his successful campaigns in the east. Similarly, Emperor Domitian claimed the goddess as his protectress and in the second half of the 1st century CE commissioned a temple to her in the Nerva Forum in Rome. Provenance: Ex-private Pasadena, CA collection, Ex- Los Angeles County collection acquired before 1990 Condition: Losses to one side of bust, peripheries of helmet, and helmet feathers. Abraded surface to one side of helmet. Gorgeous green and russet patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120990
Rome, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A fine cast bronze oil lamp depicting the head of a Nubian male presenting "African" features (the meticulously delineated, tightly curled hair being a distinct identifier), wide open eyes, thick brows, long nose, open mouth, and braided neck ornament. An elaborate nozzle emerges from his open mouth; an openwork handle adorned with foliage-inspired motif projects from the back of his curly coiffure, and a suspension loop is situated opposite the fill hole. Gorgeous green patina! Size: 4.875" L x 3.5" H (12.4 cm x 8.9 cm)The Romans were well aware of black Africans, having contact with them through Nubia, south of Egypt, but artistic depictions of them are quite rare.For similar examples sold at Christie's see Christie's Sale 2450 (2 June 2011) Lot 157 (price realized: $10,000) and Christie's 2605 (5 December 2012) Lot 166 (price realized $13,750). Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Tiny old nick to one cheek (probably a minor casting flaw). Overall near choice with lustrous, green patina that has developed over the ages. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120774
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd century CE. A marvelous matched pair of cast bronze chariot fittings with projecting snake heads rising in sinuous curves from one side of each. Each is in the form of a tapering, cylindrical shaft surmounted by a rounded finial. Fittings of such fantastical iconography, luxurious material, and impressive artistry would have belonged to an elite member of Roman society. Both come with a custom stand. Size of one: 4.75" L x 2.3" W x 4.75" H (12.1 cm x 5.8 cm x 12.1 cm); height on stand: 5.4" (13.7 cm)The snakes are nearly identical, with shallow curved incisions giving them diamond-shaped patterns atop their heads and a dense pattern of scales on their exposed necks. Each snake has well-defined eyes and their snouts deeply incised. Snakes are a common motif in Roman artwork, with a significance that might be surprising to modern people - they were associated with Aesculapius (Asclepius to the Greeks), god of medicine. Snakes (of the non-venomous sort) were kept as pets in Roman households to protect against vermin and mice, while venomous snakes were used in terrible punishments. The artist who created these did not attain enough realism to make the species identifiable, but instead took some artistic license to make them aesthetically pleasing. Roman chariots were not used for warfare, but instead in circuses and in triumphal processions. As a result, elaborate finials like these became de rigeur, lending a unique look to each chariot, where they were mounted on posts above each wheel. The carriage was supported by leather straps wrapped around the shaft and guided by the projecting arms. This absorbed the vibrations of the wooden wheels, making the ride smoother. Imagine the sun flashing off of the dark, polished bronze that these would have been when made! Provenance: Ex-private East Coast, USA collection Condition: Small loss to each base. Smooth, pale green patina over both. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120778
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century BCE. A large bronze oil lamp with a nautical theme. Two women's busts in the style of a ship's figurehead project from the short sides of the elongated bowl. Two youths, standing, nude aside from laurel wreaths, and holding large kilikes (wine drinking vessels) form the hooks for twin chains for suspension. The linked chains are hooked onto twin dolphins whose tails join together; above them is an additional long chain terminating in a large loop. Size: 7" L x 10.2" W x 26.5" H (17.8 cm x 25.9 cm x 67.3 cm).Cast using the lost-wax process, this piece displays the technical prowess of Roman artisans. This piece, made of precious metal, would have been an expensive and treasured item, perhaps an heirloom. The design has a rich iconography, much of it relating to the nautical. The ship's figurehead-style women may be goddesses; the Romans favored military, mythological, or monstrous figureheads on their ships. The dolphins, meanwhile, remind us of a powerful and common motif in Roman artwork. The Romans were in part a maritime empire, and the iconography of the sea included dolphins, who they seem to have believed carried souls to the Fortunate Isles, perhaps because they could pass through the air-breathing terrestrial world and into the watery depths that claimed so many Roman sailors' lives. The youths, meanwhile, are not explicitly nautical, but their drinking vessels suggest that they may be at a Symposium, a drinking party for the wealthy. Perhaps this lamp belonged to a family who had become wealthy through maritime trade or naval prowess.See a similar example at the Harvard Art Museum (1990.71). Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Intact, with functional chains. Dark green patina overall. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120617
Rome, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A bronze cast balsarium depicting a finely modeled bust of a male deity or youth, possibly Antinous, with a naturalistically rendered face, his head slightly tilted to the right with intricately delineated banana curled locks adorned with a vine leaf wreath, finished with twin loops possibly for attaching a hinged lid on the back of his coiffure. Superb detail and artistry. Gorgeous green patina! Vessels of this type are thought to have been used as oil containers by athletes. Size: 1.625" W x 2.5" H (4.1 cm x 6.4 cm)Antinous was the favorite of the Roman emperor Hadrian, possibly his lover, who was deified following Hadrian's death, worshipped sometimes as a god and sometimes as a hero. Unfortunately, very little is known about Antinous' biography. What is known is that he was born in Claudiopolis (modern day Bolu, Turkey) located in the Roman province of Bithynia. It is thought that he was introduced to Hadrian in the year 123, prior to being taken to Italy for a higher quality education. By 128, he had become Hadrian's favorite, at which time he was taken on a tour of the Empire as part of the emperor's personal retinue. Antinous accompanied Hadrian during the annual Eleusinian Mysteries in Athens, and was believed to be with him when he killed the Marousian lion in Libya. Sadly, in October 130, Antinous died mysteriously while part of a flotilla going along the Nile. A range of suggested causes for his death have been put forth, from accidental drowning to intentional sacrifice. After his death, Hadrian had Antinous deified and organized a cult to worship him. Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Missing lid. Otherwise excellent with lustrous green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120581
Roman, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A superb, finely cast bronze chariot attachment featuring beautiful Venus, goddess of romantic love, nude save her lovely, crescent-shaped diadem, gracefully standing in classic contrapposto, holding a garment in her left hand and a long wavy lock of hair in her right, as her elbow rests on a slender pillar. The iron-shaped form behind possesses a large attachment loop at the upper end. Brilliant artistry and gorgeous green patina! Custom stand. Size: 2.375" W x 7.125" H (6 cm x 18.1 cm); 8.25" H (21 cm) on standVenus (the Roman Aphrodite) is depicted as if she is about to take a bath or perhaps stepping out of it, with her head ever so slightly tipped to her right, an attractive coiffure parted at the center, swept back along the contours of her diadem, the long, curled locks meticulously delineated and cascading down her shoulders. Look closely and you will see that the goddess' elegant, oval face is sensitively modeled so as to present a naturalistic visage characteristic of the Hellenistic period with a rounded forehead, almond-shaped eyes, a fine browline that arches gracefully and merges with the bridge of her nose, a soft rounded chin, and bow-shaped lips. Her body and its weight-shift pose reveals the sculptor's study of anatomy, realistic proportions, and movement of the human body. Interestingly, Roman chariots were not used for warfare, but instead in triumphal processions and circuses. As a result, elaborate finials like these became de rigeur, lending a unique look to each chariot, where they were mounted on posts above each wheel. The carriage was supported by leather straps wrapped around the shaft and guided by the projecting arms. This absorbed the vibrations of the wooden wheels, making the ride smoother. Imagine the sun flashing off of the dark, polished bronze that these would have been when made! Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Normal surface wear with a few minor nicks/losses that may be casting flaws. Overall fabulous with brilliant green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120582
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A lower half-section of a diploma, with a Latin inscription on a bronze plaque. When people from the Roman provinces had served in the Roman army for twenty-five years, they were rewarded for their service with a discharge granting them Roman citizenship and the right to marry. These were recorded on two bronze tablets that were fastened together with wire ("diploma" is Greek for a two-page folded document). Comes with custom stand. Size: 4.3" W x 2.1" H (10.9 cm x 5.3 cm); height on stand: 3.5" (8.9 cm)Most of these tablets that we know of record the names of veterans of foreign birth who were discharged together; a copy was issued to each one. The missing top half would have recorded the date of the discharge and the Emperor giving it. This document would have been treasured by its owner, who had survived over two decades of war and disease, perhaps in a far outpost like Hadrian's Wall, in order to gain these rights. See similar examples at the British Museum (1813,1211.2) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (23.160.32a, b). Provenance: Ex-Private New Jersey collection Condition: Piece is a fragment, with top lost, as shown. Surface encrustation makes the inscription difficult to read. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120414
Egypt, Late Third Intermediate period, 25th Dynasty, ca. 646 to 525 BCE. A bronze cast figure of the feline goddess Bastet laying on a four post dais; each post of which was cast as a silhouette of the dwarf god Bes. An intriguing example, replete with layers of symbolic meaning as delineated below. Mounted on a wood pedestal. Size: 1.875" W x 2.25" H (4.8 cm x 5.7 cm); 4" H (10.2 cm) on standIn ancient Egypt, the cat was associated with the Egyptian goddess Bastet, whose cult was centered on Bubastis on the Nile River Delta. Bastet gained recognition and importance when its rulers rose to power and formed the 22nd dynasty, a period also known as the Libyan Dynasty. Worshippers paid tribute to Bastet with ex-voto figures such as this example.Bastet was initially a lioness goddess associated with the solar god and channeled its destructive power. However, by the early first millennium BCE, she assumed a more domestic feline form and became understood as a goddess of fertility and a guardian of the home. Ever since, statuettes comprised of various materials have characterized her as a doting mother cat. Her cult expanded decisively when her town in Bubastis (derived from per Bastet or "house of Bastet"), became the royal residence of the kings of the 22nd Dynasty, during the 10th century BCE. The city hosted an annual festival honoring Bastet in celebration of the Nile flood waters, and she was honored throughout Egypt through the first millennium BCE.The dwarf god Bes was understood as a protector of households, mothers, children, and childbirth. The repetition of his image would have been thought to give the piece more power than just a single image.br> Provenance: Ex-Private New York Collection; Ex-Long Island New York Collection. Condition: Heavily oxidized patina. Repairs and losses as shown. Feet of dais sit on stand, not attached. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120918
Ancient Near East, the Levant, Canaan, Middle Bronze Age, ca. 1200 BCE. A pear-shaped bronze palette of a hammered ovoid body with a thick, tubular handle that flares ever so slightly to a flattened terminus. Custom, museum-quality stand. Size: 6.875" L x 2.125" W (17.5 cm x 5.4 cm); 2.875" H (7.3 cm) on stand.This piece was collected by the California Museum of Ancient Art, founded in 1983 in Southern California to create the first museum collection focusing exclusively on the Ancient Near East. Representing the geographic regions of Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Levant from approximately 3500 BCE to 500 CE, the museum's mission is to share the stories of the peoples of the Ancient Near East and catalyze a better appreciation for the roots of Western Civilization. The goal is to bring these ancient peoples - from Sumer, Elam, Babylon, Assyria, Hittite Anatolia, Canaan, Philistia, Israel, Judah, and Egypt of the Pharaohs to the beginnings of Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity - to life. Provenance: Ex- California Museum of Ancient Art, Ex Liebert collection Condition: Surface wear and losses to peripheries commensurate with age. Nice green and russet patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120955
Asia Minor, Yortan culture or related in Western Anatolia, Early Bronze Age, ca. 2700 to 2300 BCE. Comprised of lustrous blackware, this is a skin-bag shaped jar with fine-line incised decoration. The shape of the vessel includes a thick strap handle on the back, a slightly pointed end, and a round, flared spout opposite it. Flowing around the body from either side of the handle are two slightly raised bands that give the impression of raised rope. The fine-line decoration forms a border of lines and dots around the neck and then three square, bordered areas - one with an "X" design and the other two with swastikas, which were an ancient symbol of luck that originated in the region. Comes with custom stand. Size: 7.3" L x 3.3" W x 5" H (18.5 cm x 8.4 cm x 12.7 cm); height on stand: 6.45" (16.4 cm).Ancient Western Anatolia is famous for a number of large ruins, most notably Troy (Hisarlik), but many mysteries remain. The Yortan culture are known through a burial site in the valley of Bakir Cai that has not been well-studied. Adults and children were buried, crouched, in large terracotta storage containers; around them were placed a great deal of pottery in the form of jugs, jars, and occasionally bowls, much of it blackware just like this piece. An incredibly rare and well-preserved example from a little-known culture! Provenance: Ex-private East Coast, USA collection Condition: End opposite spout has been repaired/restored, but it is almost impossible to see. Truly amazing condition for its age. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120777
Ancient Near East, Luristan or other part of northern Iran, ca. 10th to 9th century BCE. A magnificent and enormous bronze sword of the "double ear" pommel style, made by highly trained urban artisans, using the lost wax casting technique, for an elite member of a nomadic horse-riding clan. The blade was cast first, and then the handle was cast onto it - scans of similar swords have revealed tangs inside the handles. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2.2" W x 25.75" H (5.6 cm x 65.4 cm); height on stand: 26.8" (68.1 cm).This well-balanced weapon has a slender, square hilt, with raised decorative elements on each of the four sides joining to a pommel that divides into two finely decorated semi-circular "ears" at right angles to the blade. A rectangular guard carefully designed with crescent-shaped horns extends down to firmly grip the upper end of the prominent midrib that tapers regularly with almost straight cutting edges to a point. The "double ear" style of sword - with both bronze and iron blades - has been excavated from graves in southern Azerbaijan, the Talish and Dailaman regions of northwest Iran, and the urban sites of Geoy Tepe and Hasanlu, also in northwestern Iran. Another, with both bronze pommel and blade, was pulled from the Caspian Sea, where it may have been thrown as an offering. It seems that swords like this were not just made to be used in battle, but instead to show status or as votive weapons. There is a strong tradition in the ancient Near East of swords and other weapons being associated with the gods. For example, a rock carving dating to ca. 1300 BCE from this region shows a scene of the gods of the Underworld, including one who is holding a sword similar to this one. Similarly, a golden bowl excavated at Hasanlu (northwestern Iran) shows three swords of similar form to this one that are associated with three deities from the Hittite pantheon. Whatever its original function, this would have been a spectacular weapon to behold, with a deep, shining surface when polished. Whoever commissioned this sword must have been a high status individual, perhaps seeking to honor their gods by handling such a weapon. The British Museum holds an example of the "double ear" style that is similarly in size to this one (ME 124630). Provenance: Ex-Kavet Collection, Massachusetts, acquired 1979 at Harmer Rooke Gallery, NYC Condition: Small areas of loss and bending to edges of blade, especially on one side; dark patina over entire piece. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120292
Ancient Near East, Luristan or other part of northern Iran, ca. 10th to 9th century BCE. A magnificent, enormous bronze sword of the "double ear" pommel style, made using the lost wax casting technique by highly trained urban artisans for an elite member of a nomadic horse-riding clan. The blade was cast first, and then the handle was cast onto it - scans of similar swords have revealed tangs inside the handles. Comes with custom stand. Size: 4.75" W x 35.25" H (12.1 cm x 89.5 cm); height on stand: 36.75" (93.3 cm).This well-balanced weapon has a slender, square hilt, with raised decorative elements on each of the four sides joining to a pommel that divides into two finely decorated semi-circular "ears" at right angles to the blade. A rectangular guard carefully designed with crescent-shaped horns extends down to firmly grip the upper end of the prominent midrib that tapers regularly with almost straight cutting edges to a point. The "double ear" style of sword - with both bronze and iron blades - has been excavated from graves in southern Azerbaijan, the Talish and Dailaman regions of northwest Iran, and the urban sites of Geoy Tepe and Hasanlu, also in northwestern Iran. Another, with both bronze pommel and blade, was pulled from the Caspian Sea, where it may have been thrown as an offering. It seems that swords like this example were not just made to be used in battle, but instead to show status or as votive weapons. There is a strong tradition in the ancient Near East of swords and other weapons being associated with the gods. For example, there is a rock carving dating to ca. 1300 BCE from this region that shows a scene of the gods of the Underworld, including one who is holding a sword similar to this one. Similarly, a golden bowl excavated at Hasanlu (northwestern Iran) shows three swords of similar form to this one that are associated with three deities from the Hittite pantheon. Whatever its original function, this would have been a spectacular weapon to behold, with a deep, shining surface when polished. Whoever commissioned this sword must have been an elite individual of high status, perhaps seeking to honor the gods by handling such a weapon. The British Museum holds an example of the "double ear" style that is slightly smaller than this one (ME 124630). Provenance: Ex-Kavet Collection, Massachusets Condition: Light green patina and small areas of encrustation over surface. Shape is excellent with no losses. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120358
Ancient Near East, Phoenicia, ca. 1200 BCE. A bronze amulet, with a loop on the back for suspension, depicting two figures standing side by side. One of the figures is almost certainly Reshef (Resheph), a deity associated with the plague and shared by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and Egyptians. He is always depicted with a tall hat and some kind of band slung back over the shoulder or back. Here, both figures have that band, and one has the pointed hat. Figures like this one and other statuettes of gods were produced in workshops, and spread out through trade as far afield as Spain. Size: 0.6" W x 1.5" H (1.5 cm x 3.8 cm) Provenance: Ex-California Museum of Ancient Art, Ex- Abu Taam collection Condition: Slight age wear to surface, with some encrustation and a smooth, dark green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120968
Ancient Near East, Neo-Assyrian period, ca. 800 to 600 BCE. A cast bronze head with a ring for suspension at the top. The head has the grotesque features of Pazuzu, the king of the demons of the wind in the Assyrian and Babylonian religion. His head is often meant to be a combination of lion and dog. Size: 0.5" W x 0.8" H (1.3 cm x 2 cm)Pazuzu is often invoked in apotropaic amulets like this one, especially relating to women and childbirth. An amulet like this one would have been held near or worn by a woman in labor, intended to protect her from the female demon Lamashtu. These were also worn on clothing, pinned like a brooch, to protect a mother with a baby, and a stone example has been found on a necklace in a woman's grave. See a very similar amulet in the British Museum (1962,0514.1). Provenance: Ex-California Museum of Ancient Art Condition: Bright green patina over surface, with some surface cracks as shown. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120971
Byzantine Empire, ca. 9th to 13th century CE. A gorgeous, huge bronze reliquary in the form of two crosses fitted together, hinged at the bottom. At the top is a hinge attached to a thick, horizontal loop for suspension. Comes with custom stand. Size: 2" W x 3.5" H (5.1 cm x 8.9 cm); height on stand: 4.95" (12.6 cm).On one side is an incised design of four faces - perhaps representing the four Evangelists? - with a drilled, shallow circle in the center. On the other is an abstract design of drilled holes and incised lines forming a cross within the main body of the cross and some unreadable letters. Relics - physical remains of saints or objects associated with Christ, such as pieces of the True Cross, the shroud His body was wrapped in, or, mythically, the Holy Grail - held tremendous power in medieval Christianity. Reliquaries, objects designed to hold relics, were usually kept in cathedrals or churches, but some wealthy individuals were able to possess them. The less wealthy could purchase replicas of reliquaries, small reliquaries containing less precious items like soil from a holy site, or metal items produced as a form of souvenir from shrines. Later, many of these objects were destroyed in times of religious conflict or strife; ones that are intact have often been passed down through generations of families. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has several of these items in its collection, including on display – see the small hinged cross reliquary depicting Christ and the Virgin (1999.519.9). Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Excellent, with light patina. Both hinges have their original iron pins; the bottom one is non-functional due to patina. The loop for suspension has a tiny loss to one side and appears, based on patina, to have been made in a different workshop and may be an ancient repair, but is certainly roughly contemporary with this cross. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120859
Magna Graecia, Adriatic Sea region, ca. 5th to 4th century BCE. A striking Chalcidian helmet comprised of hammered tinned bronze, so named as this helmet form was initially depicted on pottery believed to derive from the Euboean city of Chalcis. The Chalcidian helmet was much lighter and less cumbersome than other Greek helmets, distinguished by curved cheek pieces, this example with hinged rather than continuous cheek pieces. Beyond this coveted form is the gorgeous silvery sheen and green patina. Custom stand. Size: 10" L x 8.75" W x 12.125" H (25.4 cm x 22.2 cm x 30.8 cm)The Chalcidian helmet was created in order to improve upon the Corinthian helmet, as its design allowed for better vision and hearing. The helmet consisted of a hemispherical dome with a medial ridge, a contoured V-shape above the brow continuing as an occipital rib around the form, and pronounced arched brows as we see in this example; beneath this, a pair of cheek pieces (either hinged or not; hinged cheek pieces made the helmet easier to place on the head) and a continuous narrow, flared neck guard at the rear, with sizable c-shaped repousse loops at either side for the wearer's ears. Between the cheek pieces at the front, makers created a pointed, narrow nasal bar to protect the warrior's nose. Interestingly, Chalcidian helmets continued to be worn by warriors through the era of Alexander the Great; spear wielding Hoplites in particular favored Chalcidian helmets. Scholars believe that the Chalcidian helmet later developed into the iconic Attic helmet of classical warriors.Chalcidian helmets may be found in elite museum collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the British Museum. Searching for true comparables featured at other auction houses has been tricky, as it is difficult to find an example with such a magnificent silvery sheen and well-preserved form. Provenance: Ex-private east coast, USA collection Condition: Minor surface wear commensurate with age showing minute losses to peripheries of cheek pieces, neck guard, and nasal guard. Incredible silvery sheen and green patina. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #120729
Classical World, Magna Graecia, southern Italy, Apulia, ca. 360 to 325 BCE. This pottery oinochoe (pouring vessel) has a trefoil lip and a delicate rounded handle that curves from the rim to the upper body. A band of orange flowers and vines wraps around the neck, and the upper body has twin thin incised lines giving it further texture. Size: 3.7" W x 5.25" H (9.4 cm x 13.3 cm)Apulian vase painters created this style, Gnathian ware, where the entire vessel was glazed and then fired to achieve a glossy black color. The style was perfected in the town of Gnathia (present-day Egnazia), on the Adriatic coast in Apulia while it was a Greek colony. The black glaze, with its gleaming silvery iridescence, is probably designed to look like bronze. Provenance: ex-Private British Collection Condition: Intact, with excellent silvery iridescence, root marks, and small areas of encrustation. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #121165
Back at auction due to non-paying bidderAfrica, Nigeria, Edo, Court of Benin, ca. mid 19th to early 20th century CE. An impressive bronze cast "choker" head depicting an Oba (king of Benin) wearing a netlike coral cap with aliform flaps and a high coral beaded choker. The elaborate coral choker and aliform coral headdress are significant royal court attributes that identify this as the head of an Oba. Size: 7" in diameter x 13.75" H (17.8 cm x 34.9 cm)The opening at the top of the head was created for elephant teeth or a sculpted elephant tusk carved to depict the many accomplishments of the king. The visage is nicely rendered with thick-lidded open eyes, six decorative scars above them, a straight nose, slightly parted lips, and a row of circular motifs across the cheeks. A piece like this would have been commissioned by a newly enthroned oba to stand on an altar and commemorate a previous oba, most likely his father. The oba of Benin rules via divine right and serves as the being through which his deified royal ancestors protect and invigorate the kingdom. In Benin, the head is a prominent symbol representing an individual's ability to progress successfully through life and develop himself so that he may one day be a revered and helpful ancestor. The sculptural representation of of Benin rulers with aliform head ornamentation like we see in this example was first introduced by Oba Osemwede (1816-46).Similar examples may be found in the British Museum, published in Leon Underwood's "Bronzes of West Africa" - figure 31 - (London, 1949) and William B. FAGG: Bildwerke aus Nigeria, München 1963, S. 45; the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Ethnologisches Museum published in Felix von LUSCHAN: Die Altertümer von Benin, Band 1-3, Berlin 1919, Tafel 59; The Perls Collection in The Metropolitain Museum of Art, New York published in Kate EZRA: Royal Art of Benin. The Perls Collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1992, S. 36; and several other museum collections. Provenance: Ex-Sarkisian collection, Denver, CO acquired before 1960 Condition: Minor losses to ring surrounding top central opening and several casting flaws to netted cap. One small abraded area to lower plaited rim. Expected surface wear with areas of white wax remains from cire perdue (lost wax) casting process. All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #117704
Outstanding WW2 German Luftwaffe Document and Log Book Grouping to Veteran of the Spanish Civil War and Battle of Britain, Bf-110 Pilot, Helmut Nodinger Zerstorergeschwader 76, He Was Involved in the Incident With His Squadron on 8th June 1940 Involving Combat with Swiss Fighters Which It Appears He Shot One Swiss Bf-109 Down, grouping consists of his original award citations including Spanish Cross in bronze with swords, Iron Cross 2nd class, Iron Cross 1st class, Luftwaffe pilots award badge, silver grade Fighter Operational clasp, 1st October 1938 medal, NSFK Glider award badge and DRL Sports Award document folder. Citations are accompanied by other various items of paperwork including membership cards for pre war NSFK service, various Ausweis and Military passes many containing uniform images of Nodinger, promotion citation, plus other items. One interesting document in the grouping is a confirmation of the shooting down of an American Flying Fortress on 14th October 1943 whilst he was serving with 3/N.J.G 101. The log books that accompany the group cover his period of service from April 1936 to September 1941. In these books they cover his initial training and then move into his operational service. The fourth log book in the grouping has most of the combat actions. On the 18th December 1939 it details the shooting down of a Vickers Wellington, this was an attack by the RAF on Wilhelmshaven which his squadron intercepted. He was heavily involved in actions during the Western Campaign of 1940 attacking various targets in France. On the 8th June 1940 the log book details an action with a Swiss fighter (Bf 109), it would appear that on this date Swiss fighters engaged a Squadron of German fighters that flew over Swiss airspace whilst on an attack mission to Southern France, it is stated that one Swiss Bf109 was severely damaged, in the log it has inked underneath in a different hand and believed to been at a later date, “abgesch” short for abgeschossen”(shot down). On the 11th July 1940 was the start of his service during the Battle of Britain, his log book states that on a mission over Portland he shot down a Spitfire, on 8th August it states England and a latter addition “1 Hurricane abgesch”, various other missions over targets in England and claims of victories over Hawker Hurricane 13th August, Hurricane 15th August, Spitfire 1st September, Hurricane 8th September over Caen. His last mission during the Battle of Britain appears to be to Portland on 11th September 1940. The log then seems to continue in April 1941 when stationed in Denmark. On 23rd June 1941 a later added entry indicates shooting down of a Bristol Blenheim over Fredrikhaun. Various other interesting entries in the log book. Sadly it would appear that he would have had other log books that are no longer present in the grouping. An extremely interesting document grouping to a decorated aviator who was heavily involved in combat in the early stages of the war and during the Battle of Britain. Worthy of further research. (Large grouping)
Crested Miniatures - Goss Argentina model, of an Elizabethan Bushel measure; Blackpool Noah's Ark; Goss Warton model, of an ancient bronze kettle; Arcadia Wisbech, of Eddistone Lighthouse; The Somerset Cuckoo baluster vase; others, various; local scenes, including Nottingham, Matlock, Melton; Great Exhibition at Wembley 1924; others
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