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Lot 491
Jouef, Hornby, Lima - A rake of 12 unboxed OO gauge passenger coaches. Lot includes Jouef 1st Class InterCity Open Coach in BR Blue and Grey; Lima Standrad Open Coach M5804 in InterCity Executive livery; Hornby R.439 125 Restaurant / Buffet Car Op.No.40322 in Intercity Executive livery and similar. Items all have signs of use and play ranging Fair Plus - Good overall and would benefit from cleaning. (This does not constitute a guarantee)
Lot 121
*Robert Sivell ARSA (1888-1958) 'Sphinx' signed 'R Sivell' l.r., also signed and inscribed as titled on artist's label verso, oil on board 43 x 35.5cm *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Light surface dirt, paint is applied thinly in places leaving the board bare, there is a minor thin crack to paint from right edge towards centre, otherwise, the overall condition appears to be good, not viewed under UV light, please contact the department for a full report.
Lot 191
*Rodger McPhail (b.1953) Shelducks at low tide signed and dated 'R McPhail '72' l.r., watercolour 51 x 70cm *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Not examined out of glazed frame but sheet bears many harsh creases where it appears to have been previously folded or crunched - please refer to images. Slight discolouration to inner edges of the mount, some damage to the frame bottom left.
Lot 321B
Ca. 100–200 AD. Roman. A matched pair of gold earrings, each comprising a curved, leaf-shaped hoop tapering at one hand, a clasp and hook closure fronted by a drop-shaped box set with a garnet, a single granule above, and a rigid pendant below composed of a cluster of several hollow spheres of different sizes. For a very similar pair of gold and garnet Roman earrings sold at Christie's, see: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5628137. To find out more about Roman earrings and jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 2; 33mm / W:12mm ; 2.4g
Lot 357A
Ca. 200–300 AD. Roman. A matched pair of gold earrings, each comprising a circular hoop with a hook and clasp closure. One of the earrings has a singular granule of gold below the clasp; the other is adorned with coiled gold thread. Below each hoop, there is a pyramid of hollow spheres with three bands of granulation. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 2; 20mm / W:12mm ; 1.66g
Lot 357B
Ca. 100–200 AD. Roman. A beautiful pair of matched gold earrings, each with a hoop of spiral twisted wire, a shield joined to the hoop, enclosed within a border of twisted wire, a fixed pendant below of several hollow spheres, ornamented with inverted granulated pyramids. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. For a very similar pair of Roman earrings sold at Christie's, see https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5158124. Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 2; 30mm / W:15mm ; 6.5g
Lot 92
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze sword with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, and short tang for insertion into a hilt. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88–89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:470mm / W:45mm ; 305g
Lot 348A
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. Two gold earrings, each with a shield framed by twisted wire centered by a large granule, joined to the long earwire through a hook and clasp closure. Each shield is joined to a pendant through a voluted loop and a length of twisted wire is threaded through two or three rose-coloured, red, and green beads. To find out more about Roman jewellery, see, for example, Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 2; 35mm / W:12mm ; 3g
Lot 2
Ca. 202 BC–220 AD. Han Dynasty. A well-modelled, pottery standing female dancer with arms stretched out in opposite directions, the hands well hidden within the long, voluminous sleeves of the tight-fitting robe, the face carved with delicate features and the hair pulled back behind the ears and gathered into a knot on the back. The elegant clothing comprises flowing, long-sleeved robes decorated with red and light blue inserts on the neckline, waist, and sleeves. The figure retains most of the original white slip and there is additional decoration in pink and black to show the facial features and the hair. The potters have succeeded in imparting a vibrant sense of fluidity to the standing figure, displaying realism in the stance and adding movement and dimension by the curves of the long-draped sleeves. The Han dynasty is the second great imperial dynasty of China (202 BC–220 AD), after the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). It succeeded the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC). So thoroughly did the Han dynasty establish what was thereafter considered Chinese culture that “Han” became the Chinese word denoting someone who is ethnically Chinese. The cultural milieu of the Han dynasty is well documented, and we know, for instance, that they were patrons of music — as this dancing lady indicates — and that, in temple rituals, dance was often an important element. For a comparison piece of the standing dancers, see https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4284799. To find out more about the Han dynasty and its material culture, see Miller, A. R. (2021). Kingly Splendor: Court Art and Materiality in Han China. New York: Columbia University Press. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Provenance: From the private collection of a Somerset gentleman; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1990s on the UK /European art markets. Size: L:495mm / W:390mm ; 5.5kg
Lot 110
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spear with an elongated leaf-shaped blade with a raised midrib, sharpened edges that taper gradually to a pointed tip, short socket, and a tang for insertion into a haft. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88-89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:113mm / W:25mm ; 25g
Lot 147
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spearhead with an elongated leaf-shaped blade and barbs, wide raised midrib, and a short socket with linear decoration that transitions into a small tang for insertion into a haft; a custom-made stand is included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 88- 89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1970s Size: L:159mm / W:28mm ; 40g
Lot 357
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A beautiful restrung and fully wearable necklace made of a single string of white and blue glass and carnelian stone circular beads with gold flat beads, tubular white and blue beads, four gold circular beads, and a central rhomboidal gold bead. Necklaces and bracelets were part of the feminine costume in the Roman world and some examples can be seen faithfully illustrated, for instance, in the female painted mummy portraits from Roman Egypt; ancient sculptures too sometimes show bejewelled women of the Roman period – see, for instance, the splendid series of carved reliefs from the city of Palmyra, in modern Syria. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:190mm / W:mm ; 24.1g
Lot 95
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A bronze dagger with a long, bevelled blade, folded-in guard, concave handle that would have been inset with stone, bone or ivory, and a crescent moon-shaped pommel; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:316mm / W:33mm ; 270g
Lot 134
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A fine dagger with a leaf-shaped flat-section iron blade and a bronze hilt with ribbed socket and lozengiform grip, crescentic pommel. Good condition; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:230mm / W:27mm ; 90g
Lot 348B
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A matching pair of gold earrings with a circular band with a hook-and-clasp closure. Below the closure on each earring, one dark pearl adorns the band. The drop features granulated decoration at the top, a garnet bead, and a twisted wire finial. In Roman earrings, various designs were combined and highlighted with coloured gems in order to make them look as rich and impressive as possible. Granulation was a popular decoration for Roman earrings – see, for instance, a pair of Roman gold earrings with clustered spheres and pyramidal granulation https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/242691. To find out more about Roman jewellery, see, for example, Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 2; 21mm / W:18mm ; 2.5g
Lot 148
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spear with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, sharpened edges that taper gradually to a pointed tip, short socket, and a short tang for insertion into a haft. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 88-89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1970s Size: L:118mm / W:20mm ; 25g
Lot 324
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A beautiful restrung and fully wearable necklace comprising an upper registry of tubular carnelian stone beads and small white beads, and a lower registry of small gold beads, circular carnelian beads, four blue glass beads with a flower motif, square white beads, and a central blue pendant. Necklaces and bracelets were part of the feminine costume in the Roman world and some examples can be seen faithfully illustrated, for instance, in the female painted mummy portraits from Roman Egypt; ancient sculptures too sometimes show bejewelled women of the Roman period – see, for instance, the splendid series of carved reliefs from the city of Palmyra, in modern Syria. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:240mm / W:mm ; 30g
Lot 369
Ca. 50–200 AD. Roman. A gold ring with a circular band flaring towards the shoulders, which are decorated with scrolls. The flower-shaped bezel is inset with a beautiful agate stone cabochon in a dark brown and light blue hue. For a Roman ring with a similar agate stone cabochon, see https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/ancient-jewelry-wearable-art/roman-gold-banded-agate-finger-ring-mercury-9/23625. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: D: 18.2mm / US: 8 / UK: Q; 13.1g
Lot 401
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A beautiful restrung necklace comprising an upper panel made of tubular carnelian beads spaced by small, round metallic golden beads. The lower panel comprises prevalently circular and tubular blue beads alternating with small rhomboidal golden beads, white circular, beads and further carnelian tubular beads; a heart-shaped pendant in its central part completes the necklace. Necklaces were part of the feminine costume in the Roman world and were used both for aesthetic purposes and to communicate social messages of status and wealth. Some examples can be seen faithfully illustrated, for instance, in the female painted mummy portraits from Roman Egypt; ancient sculptures too sometimes show bejewelled women of the Roman period – see, for instance, the splendid series of carved reliefs from the city of Palmyra, in modern Syria. To find out more about Roman necklaces and jewellery production in general, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. For more information on Roman bead types, see M. Guido (1978), The glass beads of the prehistoric and Roman periods in Britain and Ireland. London: Society of Antiquaries. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:250mm / W:mm ; 22.3g
Lot 91
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. This beautiful cast bronze sword has a tapering, bevelled blade with a raised midrib, triangular guard with incised dotted decoration, and an elaborate handle with a band of horizontal stripes imitating wire wrapping which terminates in a crescentic pommel. The recessed spaces would have been inset with stone, bone or ivory inlay. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88–89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:455mm / W:103mm ; 880g
Lot 83
Ca. 3100–2500 BC. Bactrian. A fine Bactrian alabaster vessel, featuring a flat foot, a bulbous body and a rounded rim. It has a beautiful cream colour, with reddish veins running through its body. Alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BC onward. The purpose of such a vessel is not known. Pieces like this one often came from burials and votive offerings. Along with others that make up the typology of stone vessels, such as column or circular idols, these objects are all characteristic of the Bactrian material culture. This piece relates to an ancient culture referred to both as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BCAM) or as the Oxus Civilisation. The Bactria-Margiana culture spread across an area encompassing the modern nations of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan. Flourishing between about 2100 and 1700 BC, it was contemporary with the European Bronze Age and was characterised by monumental architecture, social complexity and extremely distinctive cultural artefacts that vanish from the record a few centuries after they first appear. Pictographs on seals have been argued to indicate an independently-developed writing system. It was one of many economic and social entities in the vicinity and was a powerful country due to the exceptional fertility and wealth of its agricultural lands. This in turn gave rise to a complex and multifaceted set of societies with specialist craftsmen who produced luxury materials such as this for the ruling and aristocratic elites. Trade appears to have been important, as Bactrian artefacts appear all over the Persian Gulf as well as in the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley. For this reason, the area was fought over from deep prehistory until the Mediaeval period, by the armies of Asia Minor, Greece (Macedonia), India, and the Arab States, amongst others. Many stone carvers inhabited the regions of Margiana and Bactria and there was no shortage in raw material soft steatite or dark soapstone, but also various kinds of marble and white-veined alabaster. The main source for these stones, including semi-precious lapis-lazuli, was in Bactria, at Badakhshan (now north-western Afghanistan), which provided material not only for the Bactrian and Margian carvers but also, further to the west into Mesopotamia, for the Assyrian kings. For more information on Bactria, see Mairs, R. (ed.) (2020). The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek World. London: Taylor & Francis. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:75mm / W:95mm ; 250g
Lot 405
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic/ Amlash culture. A beautiful, heavy cast bronze bracelet features a wide band with a D-shaped section. The bracelet's band is decorated with elaborate, engraved line decorations, while the terminals each end in snake heads. Excellent condition; wearable. In the Bronze Age, bracelets such as this one were used not only as jewellery but also allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31–38. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:65mm / W:70mm ; 156.3g
Lot 349
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic/ Amlash culture. Beautiful bronze pendant of a standing mother cradling a baby, her sex has been worked out elaborately. The back is flat apart from a suspension loop to the rear of the head for a string to wear around the neck. The Amlash culture, also known as Marlik culture, is found in Northern Iran, enduring for many centuries. It was one of the most distinctive Iranian cultures of the late second and early first millennia BC which had cultural contacts with the Assyrian Empire. Items like this may attest to religious practice in Amlash culture societies. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31-38. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s. Size: L:62mm / W:25mm ; 15.4g
Lot 350
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic/ Amlash culture. A bronze figurine depicting a female figure standing in a frontal pose; her hair styled in two characteristic knots above the temples, her right arm held out beside her body with open palm; truncated at the waist. The Amlash culture, also known as Marlik culture, is found in Northern Iran, enduring for many centuries. It was one of the most distinctive Iranian cultures of the late second and early first millennia BC which had cultural contacts with the Assyrian Empire. Items like this may attest to religious practice in Amlash culture societies. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31-38. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s. Size: L:63mm / W:40mm ; 24.5g
Lot 172
Ca. 700-1000 AD. Viking age. An iron sword with ad doubled-edged blade, broken off from the half and a wide, broad, tapering guard and circular pommel, corresponding broadly to Petersen’s Type W. The sword was an elite weapon during the Viking period, and only the most well-off warriors - the cavalry - would have been able to afford one. Such swords were used both by the Vikings and Khazars. The elite status of swords during the Viking age is made clear both by their presence in some of the richest graves as well as a law of Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, which requires soldiers who could afford to maintain a horse to be equipped with a sword. Excellent condition; on a custom stand. See Petersen, Jan (1919). De Norske Vikingesverd. Kristiania and Oakeshott, R. Ewart (1998). Records of the medieval sword. Boydell Press. The item was studied by Russel Scott; famous lecturer, reenactor and expert of Viking period and medieval artefacts. His report will accompany the purchase. Provenance: Viennese collection 1980s-2000s. Bought by a London private collector in Vienna in 2002. Size: L:457mm / W:165mm ; 725g
Lot 178
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze sword with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, and short tang for insertion into a hilt. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88-89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:404mm / W:40mm ; 245g
Lot 94
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A bronze dagger with a long, leaf-shaped bevelled blade, horizontal guard, concave handle that would have been inset with stone, bone or ivory, and a crescent moon-shaped pommel; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:423mm / W:48mm ; 280g
Lot 345
Ca. 100–300 AD. a Roman gemstone depicting a standing female figure leaning against a column and sprinkling water from a pitcher set against her thigh set in a possibly later 22k gold ring. The pitcher may suggest that this female figure is to be identified with the Graeco-Roman goddess Eos (Aurora). As the personification of the dawn, Aurora is the goddess who dispenses the dews of the morning through (usually) two pitchers, one in each hand. To find out more about Roman jewellery, see, for example, Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: D: 19.5mm / US: 9 5/8 / UK: T; 10.5g
Lot 391
Ca. 200–300 AD. Roman. A beautiful gold ring with a hollow circular band, flared shoulders, and an ellipsoidal bezel inset with a carnelian stone depicting a left-facing profile bust of Fortuna (or Tyche) wearing a turreted crown and a scarf tied over her chignon. In Roman religion, Fortuna was the goddess of chance or lot who became identified with the Greek Tyche; the original Italian deity was probably regarded as the bearer of prosperity and increase. As such she resembles a fertility deity, hence her association with the bounty of the soil and the fruitfulness of women. Her iconography was known to the whole ancient classical world due, among other things, to the famous monumental statue of Tyche made for the city of Antioch by Eutychides of Sikyon in about 296 BC. In Italy, Fortuna was worshipped extensively from the earliest times. At Praeneste (near Rome) her shrine was a well-known oracular seat, as was her shrine at Antium. For a gem with a similar intaglio depicting Tyche sold at Christie's, see https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5004613. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. The item has undergone X-ray fluorescence analysis to confirm the metallurgical content suggesting its ancient origin and lack of modern trace elements. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1990s. Size: D: 210mm / US: 4 / UK: U; 1.56g
Lot 402
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic. A beautiful, heavy cast bronze bracelet features a wide band with a D-shaped section. The bracelet's band is decorated with elaborate, engraved line decorations, terminating in flat finials. In the Bronze Age, bracelets such as this one were used not only as jewellery but also allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31-38 Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:100mm / W:100mm ; 455g
Lot 80
Ca. 3100–2500 BC. Bactrian. A fine Bactrian alabaster vessel, featuring a rounded flared base and a tall conical body. It has a beautiful cream colour, with brownish sprinkles running through its body. Alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BC onward. The purpose of such a vessel is not known. Pieces like this one often came from burials and votive offerings. Along with others that make up the typology of stone vessels, such as column or circular idols, these objects are all characteristic of the Bactrian material culture. This piece relates to an ancient culture referred to both as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BCAM) or as the Oxus Civilisation. The Bactria-Margiana culture spread across an area encompassing the modern nations of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan. Flourishing between about 2100 and 1700 BC, it was contemporary with the European Bronze Age and was characterised by monumental architecture, social complexity and extremely distinctive cultural artefacts that vanish from the record a few centuries after they first appear. Pictographs on seals have been argued to indicate an independently-developed writing system. It was one of many economic and social entities in the vicinity and was a powerful country due to the exceptional fertility and wealth of its agricultural lands. This in turn gave rise to a complex and multifaceted set of societies with specialist craftsmen who produced luxury materials such as this for the ruling and aristocratic elites. Trade appears to have been important, as Bactrian artefacts appear all over the Persian Gulf as well as in the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley. For this reason, the area was fought over from deep prehistory until the Mediaeval period, by the armies of Asia Minor, Greece (Macedonia), India, and the Arab States, amongst others. Many stone carvers inhabited the regions of Margiana and Bactria and there was no shortage in raw material of soft steatite or dark soapstone, but also various kinds of marble and white-veined alabaster. The main source for these stones, including semi-precious lapis-lazuli, was in Bactria, at Badakhshan (now north-western Afghanistan), which provided material not only for the Bactrian and Margian carvers but also, further to the west into Mesopotamia, for the Assyrian kings. For more information on Bactria, see Mairs, R. (ed.) (2020). The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek World. London: Taylor & Francis. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:190mm / W:95mm ; 1.4kg
Lot 386
Ca. 860–650 BC. Urartian. A heavy bronze bracelet with a D-shaped section and terminals shaped as two opposing ram's heads with curved horns. Urartu was an ancient kingdom of southwest Asia centred in the mountainous region southeast of the Black Sea and southwest of the Caspian Sea. Mentioned in Assyrian sources from the early 13th century BC, Urartu enjoyed considerable political power in the Middle East in the 9th and 8th centuries BC. From early in the kingdom’s history, very characteristic artefacts were manufactured, including bronze belts along with shields, quivers, helmets, bells, jewellery, and ceramic and metal vessels of many forms. Many of these artefacts bear royal inscriptions and are decorated with characteristic motifs and scenes, which consist of various deities and composite otherworldly creatures, royal rituals, hunts, battles, and genre scenes. Urartu continued to produce beautiful works of art until it was destroyed in the second half of the seventh century BC by the Medes or the Scythians. To find out more about Urartu and its art production, see Merhav, R. (1991). Urartu: A Metalworking Center in the First Millennium B.C.E. Jerusalem: Israel Museum. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:95mm / W:125mm ; 363g
Lot 361
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic/ Amlash culture. A heavy, cast bronze bracelet with a curved section and snakes' heads terminals. Excellent condition; wearable. In the Bronze Age, bracelets such as this one were used not only as jewellery but also allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31-38 Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:100mm / W:115mm ; 397g
Lot 84
Ca. 3100–2500 BC. Bactrian. A stunning alabaster chalice with a tall stem and a conical base topped with a bowl with slightly flaring walls. It has a beautiful cream colour, with brownish veins running through its body. Alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BC onward. The purpose of such a vessel is not known. Pieces like this one often came from burials and votive offerings. Along with others that make up the typology of stone vessels, such as column or circular idols, these objects are all characteristic of the Bactrian material culture. This piece relates to an ancient culture referred to both as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BCAM) or as the Oxus Civilisation. The Bactria-Margiana culture spread across an area encompassing the modern nations of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan. Flourishing between about 2100 and 1700 BC, it was contemporary with the European Bronze Age and was characterised by monumental architecture, social complexity and extremely distinctive cultural artefacts that vanish from the record a few centuries after they first appear. Pictographs on seals have been argued to indicate an independently-developed writing system. It was one of many economic and social entities in the vicinity and was a powerful country due to the exceptional fertility and wealth of its agricultural lands. This in turn gave rise to a complex and multifaceted set of societies with specialist craftsmen who produced luxury materials such as this for the ruling and aristocratic elites. Trade appears to have been important, as Bactrian artefacts appear all over the Persian Gulf as well as in the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley. For this reason, the area was fought over from deep prehistory until the Mediaeval period, by the armies of Asia Minor, Greece (Macedonia), India, and the Arab States, amongst others. Many stone carvers inhabited the regions of Margiana and Bactria and there was no shortage in raw material soft steatite or dark soapstone, but also various kinds of marble and white-veined alabaster. The main source for these stones, including semi-precious lapis-lazuli, was in Bactria, at Badakhshan (now north-western Afghanistan), which provided material not only for the Bactrian and Margian carvers but also, further to the west into Mesopotamia, for the Assyrian kings. For more information on Bactria, see Mairs, R. (ed.) (2020). The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek World. London: Taylor & Francis. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:230mm / W:105mm ; 1.2kg
Lot 410
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A beautiful bronze ring with a circular band that flares around the shoulders and an applied oval bezel featuring two standing figures flanking a column that supports a lion with a flailing tail; the figure on the left seems to be holding a cornucopia and wears a turreted crown, which may identify her as Fortuna (or Tyche). Fortuna, in Roman religion, was the goddess of chance or lot who became identified with the Greek Tyche; the original Italian deity was probably regarded as the bearer of prosperity and increase. As such she resembles a fertility deity, hence her association with the bounty of the soil and the fruitfulness of women. Her iconography was known to the whole ancient classical world due, among other things, to the famous monumental statue of Tyche made for the city of Antioch by Eutychides of Sikyon in about 296 BC. In Italy, Fortuna was worshipped extensively from the earliest times. At Praeneste (near Rome) her shrine was a well-known oracular seat, as was her shrine at Antium. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:5 3/8mm / W:K 1/2mm ; 5.8g
Lot 366
Ca. 100–300 AD. Roman. A matched pair of gold earrings, each with an open dome, the inner border with a fringe of granulated decoration, bisected by a plain wire threaded through a carnelian bead, a loop above and below, the upper joined to the plain ear wire, the lower suspending a conical element topped with a granule, with a wire threaded below through a spherical carnelian bead. To find out more about Roman jewellery production, see Higgins, R. (1980). Greek and Roman jewellery. London: Methuen. For a similar pair of earrings sold at Christie's, see https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5628148. Provenance: From an important London collection of S.A.; previously in a Central London, Mayfair gallery; originally obtained from an old British collection formed in the 1970s. Size: L:Set of 2; 45mm / W:18mm ; 4.8g
Lot 119
Ca. 1000–650 AD. Western Asiatic, Urartu. A rare, intact bronze belt made of a wide lateral bronze band embellished with geometric, floral decoration as well as depictions of animals all over. The borders are decorated with circles. These wide bands are joined by a thin band of bronze at the back and a closure at the front fashioned in the shape of two interlaced snakeheads with incised decoration. Bronze belts first appeared in the 2nd millennium BC in Urartu, one of the ancient metalworking centres of the ancient world. From Iran, representations of belts in art are known from two regions: Susiana, Elam, and their adjacent districts, on the one hand, and north-eastern Iran on the other. (Neo-)Elamite belts are characterised by being narrower than their predecessors and sometimes decorated with a zigzag pattern or rosettes. For more information on ancient belts, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1967). Some Ancient Metal Belts. Their Antecedents and Relatives. Iran 5, pp. 83ff. & Calmeyer, P. in Reallexikon der Assyriologie III, 1957-71, pp. 689-93. Provenance: ex-Davis collection, Houston, Texas, acquired before 2013 from various auction houses in London and New York Size: L:385mm / W:98mm ; 380g
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