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Click here to subscribe18th-early 19th century AD. A bronze cross appliqué with central sunburst motif and raised figural panel, scrolls to the outer edges of the arms and bands of ring-and-dot motifs; hollow to the reverse, attachment hole, maker's mark panel to the reverse. 578 grams, 27cm (10 1/2"). From a German collection; acquired on the German art market before 1990. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
14th-15th century AD. A hemispherical bronze bowl with thickened rim, flared foot, hatched band to the shoulder with reserved cordons and rosettes, calligraphic text. See discussion in von Gladiss, A. Glanz und Substanz. Metallarbeitung in der Sammlung des Museums für Islamische Kunst, Berlin, 2012. 780 grams, 20.5cm (8"). Property of a German gentleman; acquired before 1989. . Fine condition.
2nd century AD. A bronze plate brooch of a grazing horse with looped tail on a notched baseline modelled in the half-round; hinged pin and catch to the reverse. Cf. Hattatt, R. Brooches of Antiquity, Oxford, 1987, item 1186 for type. 8.33 grams, 35mm (1 1/2"). Private collection, North London; acquired in the early 1990s. . Very fine condition.
Early 2nd millennium BC. A gold Middle Bronze Age round-section penannular bracelet with square-cut ends. Cf. Taylor, J.T. Bronze Age Goldwork of the British Isles,Cambridge, 1980, plate 34 (f"). 52 grams, 66mm (2 3/4"). From the jewellery collection of a medical professional; acquired 1970s. Accompanied by a positive X-Ray Fluorescence metal analysis certificate. . Extremely fine condition.
7th-10th century AD. A bronze belt buckle with elongated D-shaped frame, curving pin with hatched end; belt plate decorated with relief image of a saint (?) stood between two palm plants; three loops to the underside. 21 grams, 45mm (1 3/4"). Property of a European gentleman living in the UK; formerly in a private collection formed in the 1990s. . Fine condition.
1st-2nd century AD. A mixed group of bronze bells comprising: two conical with addorsed horse-heads at the apex; one beehive-shaped with iron clapper inside; one conical with pierced lug suspension; one formed as a horizontal band and three convergent straps, pierced lug above. 70 grams total, 27-44mm (1 - 1 3/4"). From an important private London collection; formed in the 1970s and 1980s. [5]. Mainly fine condition.
18th-19th century AD. A bronze incense burner comprising a squat bowl with tripod legs and domed lid; the shoulder with high-relief dragons, each leg issuing from a facing mask, two lateral loop handles with hooks and bull-head detailing, square signature block to the underside; the lid with openwork frieze to the outer edge, handle formed as a crouching dog. 709 grams, 14cm (5 1/2"). Property of a gentleman; acquired in the 1970s. . Fine condition.
1st millennium BC. A large and ornate openwork cast bronze plaque or mount depicting, to the centre, an anthropomorphic figure with shoulder-length hair and downturned mouth, wearing a tunic and trousers; above the head, a disc with human facial features, flanked by small anthropomorphs; the central figure's feet claw-like, standing on the bodies of two long-necked dragons; the arms outstretched, with fringed sleeves, a staff in each hand; to the reverse, two loops for attachment. See Rieff Anawalt, P. Shamanic Regalia in the Far North, London, 2014. 181 grams, 17cm (6 1/2"). Property of a Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK collector; formerly in a Russian private collection, formed in the 1950s. Objects such as these were created by the Finno-Ugric peoples who inhabited the north-east of Russia during the Iron Age. The culture is notable for its metal sculptures from the Kama valley, dated to the first millennium BC, and on the basis of the zoomorphic motifs used on these sculptures all the artefacts in the collection are classified as Perm or Kama Animal Style. The pieces were created for use by shamans who acted as healers and wise men, and women, for the community. The iconography of the pieces relate to the spirit world that the shaman entered during ceremonies. [No Reserve]. Very fine condition.
1st-2nd century AD. A bronze weight formed as a cockerel modelled in the round on a discoid base with pierced suspension lug to the centre back, head cocked to one side. 26 grams, 34mm (1 1/4"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve]. Very fine condition.
1st century AD. A large bronze bow brooch of Aesica type with lozengiform bow and trapezoidal foot; the headplate a transverse bar with pierced lug to the reverse, humped bow with median ridge pierced to accept the spring and lateral spurs with knop finials connecting within a radiating ring, knop finials to the bow and footplate, raised La Tène style motifs; catch to the reverse. Cf. Hattatt, R. Iron Age and Roman Brooches, Oxford, 1985, item 800. 44 grams, 47mm (2"). Found East Anglia, UK; before 2000. . Fine condition, pin absent.
10th-11th century AD. A bronze scabbard chape of Paulsen's sub-group C with long lateral arms and median trefoil, panel of scrolled tendrils to each face and pad to the lower edge. Cf. Paulsen, P. Schwertortbänder der Wikingerzeit, Stuttgart, 1953, item 177. 59 grams, 78cm (3"). Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. . Very fine condition.
Late Period, 664-332 BC. A bronze amuletic pendant formed as two adjacent figures of Osiris in headdress with crook and flail; pierced lug to the reverse. See Andrews, C. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, p.46-8, for discussion. 4.48 grams, 25mm (1"). Ex Terence Eva collection, London, UK; formed 1970s-1980s. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
11th century AD. A bronze openwork stirrup mount of Williams's Class A Type 3, with facing nude male figure held by serpents, restraining the elbows and knees and forming an arc from the shoulders and neck to the wrists; attachment loop above the head, small ledge to the reverse with ferrous stain above. Cf. Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts, York, 1997, p.37. 34 grams, 61mm (2 1/2"). Found Leicestershire, UK. There are several figures in the Viking mythology that can be related to this iconography. One of the possibility is Loki, a cunning trickster known from many poems to be both friend and enemy of gods and giants. As a punishment for his crimes, gods killed his son and bounded Loki with his entrails, and Skadi, a giantess with a personal interest in his punishment, put a poisonous snake above his head dropping venom on his face. His faithful wife Sigyn, sat next to him and gathered the poison in a bowl. This imprisonment should have lasted until ragnarok, the final battle between gods and giants, when Loki would break free, and die in a fight with god Heimdall. Another possibility is that this mount may represent one of the most famous heroes of the Viking Age, Ragnar Lodbrok; who, according to the legend, died in a pit full of snakes by an order of king Ælla of Northumbria. A similar death was meant for legendary hero Gunnarr, known from the cycle of Nibelungs. A man in a snake pit can be found carved on the door of Urnes church and baptismal in Bohuslan. Similar earlier depictions can be seen on picture stones from Gotland, where a male figure is surrounded with snakes, usually approached by a woman holding a drinking horn. A similar image can be found on the Gosforth cross, considered by many to be a depiction of Loki and Sigyn. A hall from snake bodies is also supposed to be located in Helheim, the land of dead. . Fine condition.
2nd century AD. A bronze plate brooch formed as an axe with notched blade, scrolled tendrils, ribbed handle; hinged pin and catch to the reverse. Cf. Hattatt, R. Brooches of Antiquity, Oxford, 1987, item 1143. 8.17 grams, 46mm (1 3/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. . Very fine condition.
5th century BC. A bronze leech brooch with round-section bow, single-coil spring and integral pin, swept catchplate; the bow with serpent modelled in the round coiled about the shank. Cf. Hattatt, R. Brooches of Antiquity, Oxford, 1987, item 1355 for type. 12 grams, 56mm (2 1/4"). Acquired on the London art market prior to 1980. . Fine condition.
5th-8th century AD. A mixed bronze group comprising: a hasp with couchant lion, tail looped, pierced lugs beneath the plate; a leaping beast with recurved tail, pierced lugs beneath the claws; a flat-section stud of an advancing horse(?) with links to the neck. 85 grams total, 38-66mm (1 1/2 - 2 3/4"). From a German collection; acquired on the German art market before 1990. [3, No Reserve]. Fine condition, usage wear.
1st-3rd century AD. A bronze mirror with one face ornamented with concentric circles; the handle formed as two D-section undulating bars, knop to the end; ring-and-dot motifs to the addorsed beast-heads junction with vineleaf beneath. 219 grams, 28cm (11"). From an old North Country collection; found near Bath, Somerset, UK, in the early 1980s. . Fine condition.
12th-13th century AD. A bronze staff terminal in a shape of a bird-head, probably a raven, with granular decoration and a human mask to each side. For similar type see Griciuviene, E. Žiemgaliai The Semigalians, Vilnius, 2005, item 881. 74 grams, 66mm (2 1/2"). Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
Early Ming Dynasty, 14th-15th century AD. A gilt bronze figure of a reclining buffalo, head upturned and with mouth open; decorated collar around neck and scrolling motif on either side of the body. 307 grams, 11cm (4 1/4"). Property of a London collector; by inheritance from his grandfather; acquired during travels in the Far East in the 1920s. . Very fine condition.
1st-3rd century AD. A mixed group of keys comprising: one with thick D-section bronze bow, tubular shank and rectangular bit; two flat-section bronze shanks with right-angled bit; one a hexagonal iron bow with square block finial, D-shaped shank with median split and bits to the inner edges. See Allason-Jones, L. & Miket, R. The Catalogue of Small Finds from South Shields Roman Fort, Newcastle, 1984, items 343-53 for types. 48 grams total, 33-63mm (1 1/4 - 2 1/2"). Property of a private collector; acquired before 1975. [4]. Mainly fine condition.
1st-2nd century AD. A bronze spoon with shallow harp-shaped bowl, curved neck, square-section shoulder with transverse slots, tapering round-section handle with knop finial. Cf. Frere, S.S. & Tomlin, R.S.O. The Roman Inscriptions of Britain vol. II, Stroud, 1991, item 2420.26. 22 grams, 16cm (6 1/4"). Property of a European collector; acquired 1980s-1990s. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
1st-2nd century AD. A bronze piriform vessel with concave base, broad shoulder with incised rings, triangular-section neck developing to a trefoil mouth with pouring lip; separate D-section handle with median rib, trident lower finial, upper finial divided along the rim. 445 grams, 14.5cm (5 3/4"). From a German collection; acquired on the German art market before 1990. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
6th-7th century AD. A belt formed of nine openwork bronze discs each with central cross and ring-and-dot motifs, connecting rings; tongue-shaped strap end with riveted rear plate; round-section buckle loop with tongue. 213 grams, 69.5 cm (27 1/4"). From a Russian art collector, London, UK; acquired on the London art market before 1995. [No Reserve]. Very fine condition.
2nd millennium BC. A hemispherical bronze bowl with flat rim and a tripod stand with round-section struts, claw feet and paired discs below the rim. See Moorey, P.R.S. Ancient Bronzes From Luristan, London, 1974 for discussion. 389 grams total, 14cm (5 1/2"). From a German collection; acquired on the German art market before 1990. [2, No Reserve]. Fine condition, surface accretion, one strut partly absent.
11th-12th century AD. A gilt-bronze mount comprising a domed, bearded face with segmented hair, raised band to the brow and nose, lentoid eyes; surrounded by six radiating trefoils, two pierced for attachment; hollow to the reverse. 31 grams, 61mm (2 1/2"). From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. [No Reserve]. Fine condition.
8th-10th century AD. A piriform cast glass bottle with concentric rings to the base, segmented body, thistle-shaped neck. Cf. similar shape of a bronze flask in von Gladiss, A. Glanz und Substanz. Metallarbeitung in der Sammlung des Museums für Islamische Kunst, Berlin, 2012, item 19. 51 grams, 80mm (3 1/4"). From an important London collection, acquired in the 1990s. . Fine condition.
6th-9th century AD. A bronze ladle or simpulum for holy water comprising a broad bowl with rolled rim, round-section handle with baluster, curved end and polyhedral finial. 92 grams, 21.5cm (8 1/2"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve]. Very fine condition.
1st-3rd century AD. A single-edge iron blade with hexagonal bronze handle in the shape of a bottle decorated with dot pattern and wavy line to the body, recessed top and with scrolling miniature handle to the side. 37 grams, 15cm (6"). Property of a private collector; acquired before 1975. . Very fine condition.
2nd-4th century AD. A bronze casket key on a barrel-shaped ring, with rectangular plaque and discoid extension, notched border and central cruciform void with pellets. Cf. Pall, M. Schlüssel und Schlösser, Graz, 2012, item 4490. 6.34 grams, 20mm overall, 16.21mm internal diameter (approximate size British K 1/2, USA 5 1/2, Europe 10.58, Japan 10) (3/4"). Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve]. Very fine condition.
1st century BC-2nd century AD. A bronze statuette of Mercury (Hermes), standing nude on a socle base with marsupium, coin bag in the right hand, mantle and caduceus on the left arm, winged petasos to the head. Cf. Rolland, H. Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 27. 107 grams, 83mm (3 1/4"). Property of a London gentleman; formerly the property of a Surrey gentleman. Mercury was the god of trade and industry, whose principle shrine in the city of Rome was at the Circus Maximus. Originally he was one of the gods of riches and profit and it was not until he was equated with the Greek Hermes that he became the god of tradesmen and merchants. He was also the god of thieves and was associated with healing mainly in Gaul where he had a number of important temples connected to sacred springs. . Fine condition.
9th-12th century AD. A bronze torc formed as two rods twisted around each other with loop finials and wire collars. Cf. Sedov, B.B. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhi Srednevekovija, Moscow, 1987, Table 80. 83 grams, 18.5cm (7 1/4"). From an old North Country collection; formed between 1970-2000. . Very fine condition.
2nd-3rd century AD. A plain D-section bronze band expanding to an elliptical bezel with raised central panel, inset a later repoussé plaque with motif of a helmetted profile male head, probably Mars (Ares"). Cf. Ruseva-Slokoska, L. Roman Jewellery, Sofia, 1991, item 229. 7.29 grams, 26mm overall, 14mm x 19.59mm internal diameter (approximate size British M, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.00, Japan 12) (1"). Property of a gentleman; acquired in the late 1960s-early 1970s. . Fine condition.
19th century AD. A tiered rectangular bronze base with figure of Buddha with hands pressed together sitting cross-legged on a dais beneath a canopy of seven headed naga serpent, five similar figures below and seven more on the lower tier; discoid offering bowl to the forward edge, hollow to the underside. 3.5 kg, 26cm (10 1/4"). From the Cheuk family collection; acquired before 1990. The piece is a three dimensional representation of a mandala, representing the cosmic realm of the Buddha. Such objects are used as tools in meditation where the practitioner would contemplate each of the figures and their relevance at each tier of the Buddhist cosmos. Each Bodhisattva would represent a different level of mental perfection that the aspirant would meditate upon, with the Buddha at the top representing the purest and most perfect form to be achieved. . Good condition.
6th-1st century BC. A mixed group of bronze mounts comprising: a profile bird-head with slot to the beak; a hare's head modelled in the round with loop and discoid plaque; one similar with trapezoidal plaque; a bird(?) with central slot, loop and lateral lugs. 42 grams, 28-40mm (1 - 1 1/2"). Property of a gentleman; acquired in the late 1980s. [4]. Fine condition.
12th-14th century AD. A hollow-formed bronze mount formed as a barrel-chested beast with square-section spigot to the reverse, two locating lugs, head with open mouth and beard, single waisted leg below, two small holes to the chest. 83 grams, 76mm (3"). Private collection, Cambridgeshire, UK; acquired prior to 2000. . Fine condition.
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