Circle of Francesco Renaldi (1755-1798) Portrait of a young gentleman playing his cello in an interior' circa 1780, oil on canvas, framed, 'Zoffany' label fixed to base of frame, 76 x 64cm Francesco Renaldi was an English-born painter of Italian heritage about whose life little is known. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in London in 1776, aged twenty-one. For two years after 1781 Renaldi traveled in Italy, initially with Thomas Jones, the Welsh landscape painter and pupil of Richard Wilson. Evidently on at least one occasion Jones exploited Renaldi's name to pass himself off as an Irish catholic in order to gain access to the prior of a monastery at Caserta near Naples-which would normally have been inaccessible to him on sectarian grounds-but Renaldi seems to have accepted this with good grace, even affability. Years later, in 1798, he exhibited at the Royal Academy a workmanlike but affectionate group portrait of the Jones family, which is now in the collection of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff; it may contain the artist's discreet but cheerful self-portrait. Upon returning to London in 1783, Renaldi attempted without success to establish himself as a portrait painter at 2, Portugal Street, a modest house tucked behind Lincoln's Inn Fields, on the Thames side. On November 3, Jones was pleasantly surprised to bump into Renaldi in Fleet Street, and the two dined together not long afterwards. In 1785, perhaps frustrated by commercial sluggishness, even sensing the prospect of professional failure in a highly competitive metropolitan market for portraits, Renaldi applied to the East India Company for permission to travel to Bengal. He supplied the names and addresses of two guarantors-Mr. Job Hart Price of Aldershot House, and Robert Codd of the 59th Regiment of Foot. These sureties were obviously acceptable to the company, because the following February Renaldi was given formal approval to go. He sailed aboard the Hillsborough, and reached Calcutta in August 1786. For ten years Renaldi lived in Calcutta, Lucknow (working, it is believed, for Asaf ud-Daulah, the Nawab Wazir of Oudh), and in Dacca (now the capital city of Bangladesh). He was therefore one of only a relatively small number of European painters-among them William Hodges, Johan Zoffany, Tilly Kettle, and Ozias Humphry (all of whom are represented in the collection of the Yale Center for British Art)-who spent extended periods painting portraits of and for the nabobs (English, Scottish, and Anglo-Irish gentlemen of the East India Company whose tendency was to “go native”) and their more or less official Indian mistresses, or bibis. By 1796 Francesco Renaldi was back in England. To the following year's summer exhibition at the Royal Academy he sent paintings of two Industany ladies, and one Mogul lady-all three were presumably bibis, possibly including this one-and also listed his address as 69, Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, very close to what is now Oxford Circus. In 1798 he may have exhibited a portrait of his own family, about whom we know nothing. Thereafter he vanishes from view, but completely.
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A 20th century walnut two drawer writing table, the rectangular top tulip wood crossbanded within a deep burr veneered border and ebony veneered banding over two short frieze drawers fitted with ebony turned handles, raised on four slender square tapering legs, with waisted capital, 104cm wide, 71cm high, 63.5cm deep
Peter Monamy (1681-1749) - Loading coal at Deptford Oil on canvas Signed P.Monamy lower left 68 x 137 cm (26 1/4 x 54 in.) The central ship in this painting is shown unloading large amounts of coal onto smaller boats waiting to transport it to shore. Vast quantities of coal were needed at this time, the years leading up to the Industrial Revolution, none more so than in the capital city to power its various modernising developments. Given that very little coal was found in the south, immense amounts had to be transported from the main mining areas in the Midlands, the North, the North-East and parts of Scotland. The painting illustrates the absolute importance of the Thames and its ships as the lifeline of the British economy.
A fine pair of Victorian 18 inch floor-standing library globes J A fine pair of Victorian 18 inch floor-standing library globes J. Wyld, London, mid 19th century The terrestrial applied with twelve hand coloured printed gores and applied paper label A TERRESTRIAL GLOBE, Compiled from the latest, & MOST AUTHENTIC SOURCES, including all the recent, Geographical Discoveries, PUBLISHED BY J. WYLD, Charing Cross East, NEXT DOOR TO THE POST OFFICE, LONDON to North Pacific and extensively annotated with principal cities, towns, rivers, lakes, mountains and other significant topological features and with the British colonies colour-outlined in pink, the oceans with 'lines of Variation' and all notable islands annotated, as well as other commentary such as Yedo the Capital of Japan contains 1200,000 inhab'ts and is the residence of the Koubo or Seular Emporer, Meaco or residence of the Mikado or Spiritual Emperor contains 500000 inhab'ts and 6000 Temples, the Pacific with an analemma for the equation of time over table entitled TABLE OF THE ESTIMATED POPULATION OF THE WORLD.., by G.S. Brent Fellow of the Statistical Society of London , the equatorial line graduated in degrees, hours and minutes, the Celestial of conforming construction and labelled A, CELESTIAL GLOBE, Exhibiting the whole of the, Stars, Contained on the Catalogues of, PIAZZI, BRADLEY, HEVEHNS, MAYER, LA CAILLE & JOHNSON, the Double Stars from Sir W. Herschel and Struve, PUBLISHED BY J. WYLD, Charing Cross East, NEXT DOOR TO THE POST OFFICE, LONDON to lower hemisphere beside scale for star intensity and other explanations, the solstitial and equinoctial colures and equatorial graduated in degrees with the latter also in hours and minutes, the constellations depicted by mythical beasts and figures and appropriately labelled along with the stars in Latin, both spheres with engraved hour dials to poles and pivoted within brass meridian circle divided for degrees, resting in wooden stand with hand coloured paper horizon ring graduated in degrees in two directions, days of the month and houses of the Zodiac with names and symbols and also showing compass directions, supported on four curved quadrant supports to a baluster turned upright issuing three downswept supports with compass supported via three turned stretchers between, the feet with tapered brass cups and castors, 58.5cm (25ins) maximum diameter, 107cm (42ins) high. James Wyld (II) is recorded in Clifton, Gloria Directory of Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 as a globe maker, map publisher and geographer who worked from several addresses in London including 454 West Strand (1837-1887), 454 Charing Cross East (1841-2), 2 Royal Exchange (1851) and Leicester Square (1848).
Pair tall George III silver Corinthian Column candlesticks with fluted columns, stepped bases and pierced capitals, detachable sconces (London 1771), John Carter II, 31cm overall height CONDITION REPORT General overall condition good. Minor surface scratching and dents commensurate with age and use. Some wear to high points and sharp edges. One stick may have been repaired on lower step of base and top of capital is distorted. Sconce tube has minor damage. Other stick has similar wear and two seams on base have minor splits. Sconce tube is split and has been repaired before. Marks are slightly distorted but legible
STRAUSS JOHANN II: (1825-1899) Austrian Composer. A.L.S., Johann Strauss, two pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d., to Mr. Schlar, in German. On a letter bearing a heading of a capital "J", Strauss pushes his correspondent and states in part `Would you please finish as soon as possible the second act...I will be surely pushed by Direction department. Also I will have the Tuesday morning event gala.....I do think that this is feasible for you....We will decide about postponing the second preliminary act to Thursday.´, further commenting `I send my congratulations to Fr. Bernard for the grandiose applause received. However it wasn´t incredible as it was expected.´ A letter of good content. Small inkblot to the first name of the signature. Professionally repaired to the central fold. VG. £400-600
ALEXANDER I: (1777-1825) Emperor of Russia 1801-25. L.S., Alexander, in Cyrillic (an attractive example with large flourish), two pages, 4to, Laibach, 8th April 1821, to Count Piotr Khristianovich, in Cyrillic. The Tsar states `With great pleasure I have received your letter from Tulchyn, dated 27th March, delivered to me by your son whom I am very pleased to have with me, and in this way I can fulfill your wish; I do not doubt that he will make an effort in everything he can in order to follow his father's example at the service of the fatherland..´, further informing his correspondent about the reasons of his recent and important military decisions `Because of major affairs I have here due to political situation, I did not have enough time to write to you about the reasons which made me march three divisions which are under your orders. Sudden perturbations in Piedmont, over the course of the unresolved issues also in Naples, threatened with a general uprising all over Italy. These circumstances required to move Russian troops so that necessary tranquility could be restored. In order to accelerate these measures it was necessary to take the nearest troops, this is why I considered proper to assign one regiment of each of the armies leaded by His Highness Tsesarevich, by you and by General Saken.´ Some light overall age wear and creasing to the right edge only affecting few words to the first page, not affecting the signature. With blank integral leaf. G £1500-2000 Laibach, also known as Ljubljana, is the actual capital of Slovenia. Peter Khristianovich Wittgenstein (1769-1843) Russian General. Highly decorated, Wittgenstein fought in Austerlitz, commanded the First Russian Corps in 1812 blocking the route to St Petersburg for which reason he was known as the 'Saviour of St Petersburg'. He was accused of making mistakes during Napoleon's crossing of the Berezina. In the 1813 Campaign Wittgenstein assumed overall command of the Russian Army on the death of Kutuzov.
![[ALEXEYEVICH NIKOLAI ORLOV] : (1827-1885) Russian Duke, Officer and Diplomat. His renowned memorandum was the basis for the d](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/03c6e13a-0a87-4881-b515-a45201196a0b/9687145f-cc86-41ea-ee16-051693f6372b/468x382.jpg)
[ALEXEYEVICH NIKOLAI ORLOV] : (1827-1885) Russian Duke, Officer and Diplomat. His renowned memorandum was the basis for the decree abolishing corporal punishment. L.S., four pages, folio, 25th May 1861, to Alexeyevich Nikolai Duke Orlov, in Cyrillic. A very interesting document reporting to Duke Orlov about his father´s will. Stating that Duke Aleksei Fiodorovich Orlov, General of Cavalry signed two of his wills on 20th April 1861. In the first will giving full property in Voroniezh to Nikolai Alexandrovich Orlov, and in the second giving to his mother Duchess Olga Alexandrovna the capital of one million rubles in silver, land in Samara, etc... Also giving money and rewards to different individuals. The document also reports that the Emperor has approved the will, although not all the rules and forms were fulfilled when written. Certifying that from now on they are rightful inheritors. A long and clean document with excellent content. Together with [Hunting Pass] L.S., Levasov, one page, oblong 4to, n.p. [St Petersburg], 1803, to French Minister General Eugonville, in Cyrillic. An unusual document, being a bird hunting sauf-conduit issued to French General, authorizing hunting near Saint Petersburg and in all Government-owned territory, with the exception of landlords. The document bears a red wax seal to the front. Two small tears to the folded edges. EX & G. £200-300 Aleksei Fiodorovich Orlov (1786-1861) Father of Duke Nikolai Orlov. Russian Ambassador to Constantinople. He leaded the Russian delegation at the Paris Treaty 1856. Tsar Alexander II appointed him Prince.
HEALY TIM: (1855-1931) Irish Nationalist Politician. D.S., T M Healy, one page, small oblong folio, n.p., 1st September 1891. The attractive partially printed document is a share certificate (numbered 1043) for the Irish National Press Ltd., Capital £60,000 in 12,000 shares of £5 each, issued to Hugh Lynch of Selby and confirming his purchase of ten ordinary shares, numbered 5035 - 5044 inclusive. Signed by Healy at the base and countersigned by two other individuals. With blind embossed seal. Some very light, minor creasing and a few small pinholes to the upper left corner, about VG. £100-150
URIBURU JOSE FELIX: (1868-1932) President of Argentina 1930-32. T.L.S, José Uriburu, one page, 8vo, Federal Capital, 23rd February 1932, to Adolfo Campos Urquiza, in Spanish. Uriburu sends warm regards and thanks his correspondent and wife for their attention. Very light foxing, and two minor tears to the left side of the document, G. £80-100. The present letter was signed only two days after Uriburu vacated the presidency due to stomach cancer, dying in Paris after a surgical operation two months later.
Abraham Pether (1756-1812) - The burning of The Old Drury Lane Theatre, 24th February 1809 Oil on canvas Signed A. Pether and indistinctly dated 1809 lower left 72.5 cm x 104 cm. (28 1/2 x 41 in) Provenance: Timothy Langston Fine Art & Antiques; from whom purchased by Mallett, 2007. One of a family of five painters, Abraham Pether was born in Chichester in 1756, the son of the mezzotinter, William Pether. He was a pupil of George Smith, one of the three Smith brothers who were notable landscape painters. He initially painted in his tutor s style, then developed it further by incorporating some elements of Richard Wilson. He moved to London and began an industrious and fruitful career showing at the annual exhibitions in the capital. On the night of the 24 February 1809 when the Drury Lane Theatre caught fire, its owner, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), was at the House of Commons, which voted an immediate adjournment when the disastrous news arrived; though Sheridan himself protested against such an interruption of public business on account of his own or any other private interests. However, he hurried to the theatre, and whilst seeing his own property in flames, sat down with his friend Barry in a coffee-house opposite to a bottle of port, coolly remarking, in answer to some friendly expostulation, that it was hard if a man could not drink a glass of wine by his own fire! This painting shows the Drury Lane Theatre on fire, as viewed from Cowbridge, Pimlico, looking north. It shows a lost view of London as the river shown is not the Thames, but part of the River Tyburn which was thought to come out into the Thames near Westminster. This painting proves that in fact a river ran through the marsh area known as Pollenstock and into the Thames at Merflete (now the area of Vauxhall Bridge). There is a record of an old bridge around Vincent Square, Rochester Row, which was called Cowbridge, and this would appear to be the artist's vantage point looking out over the Bulinga Fen (marshland area). By triangulating the landmarks of the inferno of Old Drury Lane Theatre, St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey (and all the City churches), we can see that the the Tyburn went through the gardens of Buckingham House (now Buckingham Palace) the large house visible to the left, behind the hoist. The River Tyburn is said to have been navigable as far as Regent's Park making it a very useful artery for goods into Central London. Pether seems to have been very accurate in his topography of this painting and the events it portrays. He had been living in Bridge Row,Chelsea, close to the site of his vantage point, for this painting and he surely witnessed the event first hand. He made two versions of this scene; the other known piece is in the Guildhall Art Gallery, London. Although this painting was conceived to show the drama of the event, it actually serves as a historical record, as there is very little accurate documentation of this area of London. Ref: The Lost Rivers of London by Nicholas Barton, 1962.
A Louis XVI style carved giltwood fauteuil after the model by Jean-Baptiste Sené, the leaf and flower head top rail above Doric capital columns and downswept acanthus carved walnut arms, the barrel front seat with an entrelac carved frieze and spiral fluted legs, 19th century. This fauteuil is based on the celebrated suite of furniture supplied for Marie-Antoinette's 'cabinet intérieur', her private apartment at the Château de Saint-Cloud in 1787. In October 1787 Jean Hauré received the order to furnish the grand cabinet and this was entrusted to Sené, Vallois and Régnier. This famous suite which survived the revolution was amended with later copies and it was reproduced throughout the 19th century.
A William IV giltwood and gesso landscape overmantel mirror, with an inverted breakfront diaper frieze and Corinthian capital cluster column pilasters, the reverse with a paper trade label for H. J Buchan, 'HOUSE DECORATOR, PICTURE AND LOOKING GLASS FRAME MANUFACTURER.....159 HIGH STREET, SOUTHAMPTON', 61 x 151cm. Henry Buchan was trading at 159 High Street, Southampton in 1830.
Artist: Sian Storey Design: Swinging London About the designThe Beatles. The Kinks. Mary Quant miniskirts. Mini Coopers. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick. The swinging 60’s... I wish I’d been there! To be a dedicated follower of fashion, skipping along Carnaby Street, and to be a part of the cultural revolution that was Swinging London. This bus depicts an era of creativity that still resonates today in our music, fashion, art and film, and reminds us why London will always be the capital of cool. About the artist I work from my studio in leafy Hampshire and am influenced by the world around me, including travel and popular culture. As an artist I am in love with the process of painting. Quite often I lose myself in an art bubble exploring colour, texture and pattern. If I had to choose one word to describe the theme of my art it would be 'beauty.' But there is a sense if ambiguity too. People, faces, creatures and feminine symbols are lost in intensely coloured or patterned ground, often immersed in fluid glossy varnish and spray paint pools. Location: St Martins Close Trail: Around Westminster Dimensions: Length- 2.4m Width 0.5m Height- 0.95m
Artist: Edward Carvalho-Monaghan Design: Route Masters About the design To celebrate Transport for London’s Year of the Bus, this array of characters represent the capital’s many cultural destinations - as well as the colour of the bus line on which to find them. The astronaut represents the Science Museum, the military gentleman represents the Imperial War Museum and the Pharaoh represents the British Museum. About the artist Despite only graduating last year, Edward Carvalho-Monaghan’s bold and colourful work has been championed by the likes of leading graphic art blog and journal It’s Nice That and Wrap magazine. He recently exhibited at London’s annual graphic art fair, Pick Me Up at Somerset House and his recent work includes commissions for Adobe, Secret 7, Brunswick Review, Printed Pages and Gather.ly. Location: Bankside Trail: Around the River Dimensions: Length- 2.4m Width 0.5m Height- 0.95m
Artist: Fiona Stewart Design: Legible London About the artist Fiona Stewart, a scenic artist and theatre designer, is experienced in film, stop motion animation, theatre, advertisement, retail and community arts. Her career has seen her working in the art department on feature films such as Fantastic Mr Fox, Edge of Tomorrow and animated John Lewis Christmas advert ‘The Bear and the Hare’. as the winner of the inaugural Jocelyn Herbert Award for Stage Design, Fiona continues to expand her portfolio of work. About the design Legible London promotes walking as an active, fun way of getting around the city. It invites you to join the ‘walking man’ seen on Legible London signage and visit London’s attractions. The ‘walking man’ with his many playful characteristics steps from circle to circle guiding you through a London encapsulated within the bus. Each circle marks a distinct area of the capital inviting you to jump from shape to shape or connect via bridges and arrows to adjacent areas. Location: Palestra Trail: Around the River Dimensions: Length- 2.4m Width 0.5m Height- 0.95m
Campania, Suessa Aurunca AR Didrachm. Circa 265-240 BC. Head of Apollo right, wearing laurel wreath, hair long and flowing; trophy behind / Dioskouros, wearing a pilos and holding a palm-branch tied with a fillet, riding to left with a second horse beside him; SVESANO in exergue. HN Italy 447; Sambon 864. 7.38g, 22mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Rare. Aurunca, the ancient capital of the Aurunci, was originally located on the edge of the extinct crater of Roccamonfina, and dated back to at least the 8th century BC. On that site today there remain ruined walls of cyclopean masonry, which may have formed the fortified core of the city, or a defensive fort for the protection of the population. The Aurunci came into conflict with Rome as early as 503 BC, but following their defeat in the Latin War, were subject to Roman dominion. An apparently unmotivated attack by the Sidinici in 337 caused the Aurunci to abandon their towns in Campania in favour of the new site of Suessa, which they renamed Aurunca. In 313 the Romans made a colony of the city, renaming it to Suessa Aurunca. On account of its favourable position between the Via Appia and the Via Latina, it became a centre of industry and commerce, retaining the right of coinage.
Trajan AV Aureus. Rome, AD 116. IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Parthia seated right, head facing, in attitude of mourning, and Parthian seated left in attitude of mourning below trophy, PARTHIA CAPTA in exergue. RIC 324; Woytek 560f; BMC 603; Calicó 1035a. 7.12g, 19mm, 6h. Very Fine. Commemorating his final great campaign, this aureus of Trajan is a clear indication to the people of Rome that the Emperor had succeeded in expanding the Empire still further through his conquest of Parthia and the capture of the Parthian capital, Ctesiphon. However, the areas of Armenia and Mesopotamia that Trajan conquered were unwieldy and difficult to secure, and it was left to the new Emperor Hadrian in AD 117 to abandon these indefensible lands in favour of a smaller, but more easily governable, empire. Trajan's campaign against the Parthians was prompted by their installation of a puppet king in Armenia who was unacceptable to the Roman emperor. Both the Parthian and Roman Empires had shared a hegemony over the Armenian kingdom for fifty years, but Trajan decided to remove the king and annexe Armenia as a Roman province. After this success he moved southwards, receiving acknowledgement of hegemony from various tribes on the way to Mesopotamia, a large part of which he had conquered by the time this coin was struck in AD 116.
Sicily, Akragas AR Tetradrachm. Circa 460-446 BC. Sea eagle standing left on Ionic capital, AKRACANTO? around / Crab; spiralled tendril ornament with floral terminals below; all within shallow incuse circle. Lee Group II; SNG ANS 982 var. 17.36g, 25mm, 4h. Near Mint State. Akragas was founded by colonists from Gela in around 582-580 BC in a highly favourable location on a plateau overlooking the sea, and was supplied with water by two nearby rivers. The city's position benefited it greatly, and it quickly became one of the wealthiest Greek colonies in Sicily. Under the tyrant Phalaris, who seized power in the city after having been entrusted with the building of the temple of Zeus on the citadel, the city attained considerable prosperity. Phalaris also supplied the city with water, adorned it with grand public buildings, and strengthened it with defensive walls. Yet for all this, he was renowned for his cruelty and sadistic tendencies, which supposedly included cannibalism. His notorious reputation is etched in legend, as it was he who commissioned the Brazen Bull, a hollow bronze statue invented by the sculptor Perillos as a novel way to execute criminals, in which the victim would be placed, before a fire was set below the statue. A complex system of tubes converted the victim's screams into the sounds of a bellowing bull. Perillos, expecting a reward for his service, was instead thrown into the bull to test it. Phalaris himself was said to have been killed in his brazen bull after being overthrown by Telemachos, the ancestor of Theron.
Numerian AV Aureus. Rome, AD 284. IMP NVMERIANVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS AVGG, Hercules standing to right, leaning on club with his left hand and resting his left on his hip. Biaggi -; Calicó 4332-33; C. 100; RIC 407. 4.66g, 21mm, 6h. Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare. The great rarity of this coin is in large part due to the brevity of Numerian’s reign. In 282, the legions of the upper Danube in Raetia and Noricum rebelled and proclaimed the praetorian prefect Marcus Aurelius Carus emperor in opposition to Probus. Probus’ army, stationed in Sirmium, decided they did not wish to fight Carus and assassinated Probus instead. Carus, already sixty, immediately elevated his sons Carinus and Numerian to the rank of Caesar. In 283 Carus determined to take advantage of a succession crisis within the Sassanid empire, and marched east at the head of an army along with Numerian, while Carinus was left in charge in the West. The invasion met with great success, and the army was able to make huge incursions into Persian lands, and even capture the capital Ctesiphon. The campaign came to a premature end when Carus died suddenly (according to some sources, from a lightning strike). Numerian made an orderly retreat from Persia, and subsequently died in mysterious circumstances during the journey west. Amid rumours of murder, the prefect Aper was executed by the man who went on to become emperor. Diocletian, previously an officer under Carus, was acclaimed by the army and proceeded to continue the march west, meeting Carinus’ army in battle in Moesia and emerging as victor and emperor. The reverse of this stunning aureus typifies the propagandist nature of Roman coinage, and bestows on Numerian the quality of ‘virtus’, which encompassed valour, manliness, excellence, courage, character, and worth - the necessary attributes of a Roman and especially of an emperor. Coupled with the standing figure of Hercules, with his usual attributes of club and lion’s skin, this reverse references the military victories that Numerian and Carus achieved in the east and likens them to the completion of Hercules’ labours.
Constantine I AV Solidus. Trier, AD 312-313. CONSTANTINVS PF AVG, laurel and jewel diademed head right / VIRTVS EXERCITVS GALL, Mars walking to right, carrying spear and trophy, chlamys over left shoulder; TR in exergue. RIC -; Depeyrot 26/1. 4.39g, 20mm, 6h. Good Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare, Depeyrot notes only one example. The reverse of this coin honours the army of Gaul which was responsible for supporting Constantine's (illegal) elevation to the purple upon the death of his father at Eboracum (York) in AD 306, fought under him against the Frankish and Germanic tribes in several campaigns between 306 and 310, and which ultimately delivered him Rome and sole rule of the West in 312. The army of Gaul was a battle-hardened and effective force, regularly tested against the barbarian tribes which at this time made frequent incursions into Roman lands. They had also demonstrated a strong sense of loyalty to Constantine in 308 when the former emperor Maximian, then an exile in his realm, attempted to subvert a contingent of the army by declaring that Constantine was dead, taking the purple and pledging a large donative to any who would support him. Maximian failed to win them over and was forced to flee, and then commit suicide. It was on account of this devoted and veteran army that Constantine was able to win a crushing victory over the numerically superior force of Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. The army of Gaul was drawn up in two lines, according to their customary tactics, but Constantine, perceiving that the opposing force outnumbered him and could envelop his line, suddenly reduced the second line and extended the front of his first to match that of Maxentius. Such manoeuvres in the moment of danger can only be executed without confusion by experienced troops, and commonly prove decisive. Yet because the battle was begun towards the end of the day and was contested with great obstinacy throughout the night there was, in the words of E. Gibbon, 'less room for the conduct of the generals than for the courage of the soldiers' (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 1, Ch. XIV, 150). Maxentius' units were forced back until he had no choice but to attempt a desperate retreat over the wooden pontoon bridge he had hastily built across the Tiber, the stone one having been destroyed in the course of siege preparations. This bridge collapsed, trapping Maxentius' soldiers who either surrendered or, like his Praetorian cohorts, were killed to a man. Maxentius himself drowned while trying to swim across the river in desperation for escape. Thus from the very moment he had defeated Maxentius, gold, silver and bronze coins were struck at Constantine's former capital and stronghold of Augusta Treverorum (Trier) celebrating the glory and heroism of the Gallic Army ('GLORIA EXERCITVS GALL' and 'VIRTVS EXERCITVS GALL').
Suevic kingdom of Gallaecia AV Tremissis. Time of Hermeric, Rechila and Rechiar. Bracara Augusta, AD 425-455. In the name of Valentinian III. DN V?LTININ?T, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right with prominent jewelled fibula and jewelled paludamentum over left shoulder; all within beaded border / Cross pattée within double wreathed circles, flanked by two lateral beaded and curved rectangles; in left rectangle, ligate BR; wreath ties above and CONOB in exergue; the whole composition within beaded border. For the contemporary analogous tremisses see J.M. Peixoto Cabral and D.M. Metcalf, A moeda sueva - Suevic Coinage, Porto 1997, p. 285, 3-6 (retrograde BR) and p. 289, 1-2 (inverted BR); W. Reinhart, ‘Die Münzen des Schwebenreiches’, in Mittailungen der bayerischen Numismatiischen Gesellschaft 55, 1937, pp. 151-190, pl. 35, 54 pl. 36, 67 (inverted BR), pl. 36 70-3 (BR retrograde); A. Gomez, Moedas portuguesas, Lisboa 2003, p.45, 02.5 (ligate BR retrograde, valued at € 7,500); for B-R as a mint mark cf. RIC X, 3786 (siliqua in the name of Rechiar, ‘ivssv rechiari reges’) and Dix Noonan Webb sale 27 September 2007, 2861 (Solidus in the name of Honorius); for generic group of tremisses without BR cf. MEC I, 286-92. 1.28g, 16mm, 1h. Extremely Fine. Unique variant. The generic term Suevi is applied to a group of West Germanic peoples of whom the most important were the Alamanni, which settled in south-western Germany in what is now called Schwaben (Swabia). In 406 much of the tribe joined the Vandals, Quadi and Alans in breaching the Roman frontier at Mainz and launching an invasion of Gaul. In their company the Suevi crossed the Pyrenees in 409 and settled in the western half of the Roman province of Gallæcia (modern-day Galicia in Spain and northern Portugal) where, swearing loyalty to the Emperor Honorius, they obtained the status of foederati in about 410/11. By the 430s their king Hermeric had established a virtually independent state around the Roman capital of Gallæcia, Bracara Augusta (modern Braga). The indigenous Hispano-Roman population did not take kindly to the new settlers and it was not until the mid-5th century that the situation became more peaceful. Hermeric abdicated in favour of his son Rechila in 438, and on the death of Rechila in 448 his bellicose and ambitious son Rechiar, newly converted to Catholicism, inherited the crown. Rechiar died in 455 after being defeated by the Visigothic king Theodoric II. Subsequently the Suevian kingdom in Gallæcia was divided in two, with the boundary line at the River Minho, with different kings ruling each side of the river. The last king of the Suevi, Andeca, was defeated by the forces of the Visigothic king Leovigild in 585.
Constans II AR Hexagram. Constantinople, AD 666-668. VICTORIA AVGV, facing bust, with long beard and moustache, wearing crown with frontal plume and chlamys, and holding globus cruciger / Constantine IV (in centre), Heraclius (on right) and Tiberius (on left) all standing facing, each wearing crown and chlamys and holding globus cruciger; S in right field. DOC -; MIB -; Sear -; Cf. Nomos 9, 21 October 2014, lot 320, Rauch 96, 10 December 2014, lot 647 and Gorny & Mosch 228, 9 March 2015, lot 756. 6.66g, 24mm, 6h. Near Extremely Fine. The fourth known example of this interesting type. This hexagram was struck late in what was a tumultuous and turbulent reign. It bears a similar design to the emperor’s late solidi, with the bearded Constans on the obverse and his three sons on the reverse (cf. DOC 42-43 and MIB 41-42). That so few are extant today suggests that it was minted in very small numbers, perhaps in part due to the emperor's sudden death. A precocious and dynamic ruler, Constans ascended to the purple at the age of 11 after the murder of his father in 641. Throughout his reign there was constant political and religious disorder. Invasions threatened the empire, Armenia and Asia Minor were invaded by the Muslims and Egypt was abandoned, although Sicily and Constantinople were preserved. The young emperor had immediately to establish his power and strength against his enemies, and he did so by making sure his navy and army were unyielding. The Christological doctrine of Monotheletism, being the idea that Christ had two natures, but one will, had had the Church divided for quite some time before the accession of Constans: monks, priests and even the Pope were persistently fighting for or against its acceptance. Although the 17 year old emperor lacked much of an opinion or interest in the subject, he could clearly see the potential for it to have an adverse effect on the stability of the empire, and therefore issued the Type of Constans in 648. This imperial edict condemned the discussion of the concept in any form in an effort to defuse the problem. Constans actively maintained the law and persecuted those who spoke out against Monotheletism, bringing a semblance of peace to the subject and effectively passing the discussion on for his successors to settle. Having moved to live in Syracuse on Sicily, rumours that the capital of the Empire would be formally moved to the island were ill-received, and in September 668 Constans was murdered while bathing, according to Theophilus of Edessa, by his chamberlain using a bucket.
![[NELSON HORATIO]: (1758-1805) British Admiral during the Napoleonic Wars, the victor of the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. ELLIOT](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/23443895-8c4a-42e9-8b08-a45100ec37d8/11f928ba-321d-46a0-ef3a-ba651ae86435/468x382.jpg)
[NELSON HORATIO]: (1758-1805) British Admiral during the Napoleonic Wars, the victor of the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. ELLIOT HUGH (1752-1830) British Diplomat & Colonial Governor. An excellent L.S., H Elliot, eight pages, folio, Naples, 3rd August 1805, to Sir Richard Bickerton. The manuscript despatch states, in part, ‘You have, without doubt, been made acquainted by Lord Nelson, with all the circumstances which had induced His Lordship, with the approbation of the British Government, to station a ship of the line in this bay for the protection of their Sicilian Majesties, and for the purpose of affording them a secure mode of conveyance to Sicily, in case they should be forced either by the violence of the French, or by the treachery of their own subjects, to abandon their capital. At the time Lord Nelson left the Mediterranean, Capt. F. Sotheran, of His Majesty’s ship Excellent, remained here upon the above mentioned service. A few days previous….I had of my own accord, taken an opportunity of stating personally, to the King of Naples, the expediency there might be, under the present circumstances, that His Majesty should be pleased to dispense with the services of the Excellent at Naples, until the British Fleet in the Mediterranean should have received a reinforcement. His Sicilian Majesty, however, entered into so full an explanation of the concurrence of many critical circumstances, which rendered His present situation, & that of His family, more perilous than if ever had been since the entrance of the French into His dominions, that it became impossible for me to insist further upon His Majesty’s voluntary consent to the departure of the Excellent. Without troubling you with a minute detail of all the arguments the King made….I must not omit to state the general grounds….as a confidential communication. For the course of nearly two years, a secret negotiation has been carried on between the Courts of London & Petersbourg, for the purpose of assembling, conjointly, a sufficient military force in this part of Europe, to secure the South of Italy against the farther encroachments of French ambition. In the mean time, the court of Naples, with the consent & even by the advice of the friendly powers, has been induced to temporize with France, and to conceal from Bonaparte, as much as possible, the knowledge of the efforts which were secretly making in order to defeat His unjustifiable views – One part of the plan consisted in gaining sufficient time for the Russians to assemble a considerable force in the Ionian Islands. This force is, however, still incomplete & the Russians cannot proceed to the Continent of Italy until they shall have received a reinforcement of 10,000 men, which are daily expected at Corfu, from the Black Sea. Bonaparte, whose eyes are now opened to the proceedings which have been concerted between Great Britain & Russia, has increased every demonstration of insolence & ill-humour towards this Government, and it is expected that he will not fail to order his army to march towards this capital, as soon as he shall have heard of the Emperor Alexander’s resolution to recal Mons. de Novosiltzow, who had proceeded as far as Berlin, on his way to Paris, with the view of opening a negotiation there for a general peace. From the contents of M de Novosiltzow ‘s note to the Prussian Minister….you will perceive that all hopes of such a negotiation now taking place, are entirely done away. As many weeks must still elapse before the Russian troops can land in Italy, the King of Naples is, therefore, in the meantime exposed to the most imminent & pressing danger. OWING TO RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE-SALEROOM.COM A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED. PLEASE CONTACT THE AUCTIONEERS DIRECTLY FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION
HUNT WILLIAM HENRY: (1790-1864) English Watercolour Painter. An original pencil drawing signed ('W. HUNT'), on an oblong 12mo page removed from a sketchbook, n.p., n.d. The dark pencil drawing depicts a coastal scene featuring sand dunes and windbreakers in the foreground, with the sea beyond. Signed in capital letters to the lower left corner. One slight vertical fold to the centre, G
![[BARRIE J. M.]: (1860-1937) Scottish Novelist, created Peter Pan. An interesting Typed Manuscript, unsigned, by Hazel Collist](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/23443895-8c4a-42e9-8b08-a45100ec37d8/3fa984ff-b5a8-4126-e577-8619efb3c8cd/468x382.jpg)
[BARRIE J. M.]: (1860-1937) Scottish Novelist, created Peter Pan. An interesting Typed Manuscript, unsigned, by Hazel Collister Hutchison, eighteen pages, 4to, n.p. (Cleveland, Ohio), n.d. (1940s-1950s?). The manuscript is entitled Satire and Sentiment in Barrie and is a fascinating well-written work, comprising three chapters, discussing the novelist and his works. Chapter III, entitled Two Words, is of particular interest and states, in part, ‘The Scotchman was as self-conscious as any other Thrums man before the words, beauty and love. The genius found ways of saying them without “lowerin’” himself, and by doing so made us all a bit more articulate….For enlightenment as to the techniques employed, it is rewarding to examine the handwriting…. Handwriting is rooted in two of the deepest desires of humankind, the longings to defeat time and to conquer space…..So it is with respect and compassion that one should dare the analysis of any script….Barrie was not unique in claiming to have two handwritings with their accompanying characteristics. In twenty-five years of work in this field, I’ve rarely encountered a person who did not claim to have two or more. Of course the writer and the examiner are thinking of very different things…..We shall never know whether Barrie was playing a little game or whether he actually came in time to believe it. We do know that in 1919 he had to use the left hand because of what he called “writer’s cramp”. But he had always been ambidextrous, and loved to show his skill in slight-of-hand performances…..The pressure particularly the vertical pressure in specimens one and two are identical as are also the letter alignment and word spacing. The same heart-breakingly lonely little capital letter I, the same exquisite letter d, high-flung I dots and amazing margin profiles…..Those margins and the sturdy, broad-legged little capital H belong to the weaver’s son, but the beauty of that letter d is Tinkerbell herself. It indicates taste that is only given by the gods and then but rarely. The entire script finds integration through it. All the homely, painful little letters can catch fire from it…..Fortunately this script is emotionally stable and deeply rooted in reality. There are no vague forms and fuzzy outlines. Concise thinking, fine powers of concentration and exceptionally good judgment keep the centrifugal emotions and the centripetal imagination nicely balanced…..The complete absence of flamboyance and affectation together with a fine sense of form and great respect for orderly thought all suggest the individual who has achieved skill in some art medium.’ Accompanied by two 8vo sheets of tracing paper featuring copies of the handwriting of Barrie, being the two specimens referred to by Hutchison in her manuscript, the traced pencil copies (presumably prepared by Hutchison) illustrating Barrie’s handwriting with both his right and left hands, the first example entitled Mr. Barrie in the Chair (right hand) and the second example taken from a letter by Barrie to Maurice Walsh, headed A Notable Tribute for Sir James M. Barrie…to Maurice Walsh (left hand). Both of the specimens are inlaid (a little crudely with thin tape at each corner, causing slight staining) into 4to sheets with the printed heading Hutchison - Examiner of Questioned Documents, Cleveland, Ohio. The manuscript is clasp bound within plain paper wrappers. An unusual grouping. G to VG, 3 Hazel Collister Hutchison (1893-1977) American Poet, Teacher and Professional Handwriting Analyst.
To Howard Hawks FAULKNER WILLIAM: (1897-1962) American Writer, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1949. Autograph Telegram Signed, BILL, in capital letters, one page, oblong 8vo, Paris, n.d. (c.1955?), to Howard Hawks in Cairo, Egypt. The partially printed telegram is neatly completed in ink by Faulkner, entirely in capital letters, and states, in full, 'Booked N.Y. 19 April unless I hear from you. Of course will stay here on call or meet you at need if notified tel no.' The writer has also penned his name ('WILLIAM FAULKNER') in ink at the base, along with his address at the Hotel de Beaujolais in Paris. A rare autograph with an interesting association. A couple of very small, extremely minor tears to the edges, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG Howard Hawks (1896-1977) American Film Director, Academy Award winner. Hawks employed Faulkner as a screenwriter in Hollywood, and the two men became friends, sharing a passion for drinking and hunting. Indeed, Hawks' brother, the American film producer William Hawks (1901-1969), became Faulkner's Hollywood agent and the writer himself conducted an affair with Meta Carpenter, Hawks' secretary and script girl. In 1955 Hawks produced and directed the epic film Land of the Pharaohs starring Jack Hawkins and Joan Collins. Much of the film was shot on location in Egypt, and the present telegram most likely dates from the time of filming. The movie was Hawks' final collaboration with Faulkner before the author's death.
A Pair of George III Silver Chambersticks, John Hutson, London 1792, the circular pans with a reeded border, openwork stems, urn shaped capital removable nozzle, with original extinguishers, engraved with a crest, being a ram couchant, 17cm wide, 20oz 2dwt all in Marked to underside of pan, extinguisher and nozzle. All marks match. Some typical signs of wear and mis-shaping throughout (commensurate with age and use).
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