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Click here to subscribeBritish Tokens - 17th Century - Yorkshire - Bawtry - William Maltby 1668 - Heart-Shaped Halfpenny Dated 1668 AD, heart-shaped. Obv: inscribed WILLIAM MALTBY MERCER legend in script and date in four lines. Rev: initials M over W R with OF BAVTREY HIS HALFE PENNY legend in script in three lines. 0.83 grams. W. (Yorkshire) 16; D. (Yorkshire) 16; Norweb SCBI 49, 5790. Fair; bent and straightened with some loss of patina. Very rare.
English Milled Coins - Mary II - Undated - Pattern Copper 'Rose' Farthing Undated (1689), pattern farthing (or medalet?"). Obv: profile bust right with MARIA II DEI GRA legend. Rev: stemmed rose with EX CANDORE DECVS legend. 5.67 grams. See Montague 18; Cooke 578; Med. Ill., vol I, p.695, number 93. [No Reserve] Very fine. Rare.
World Coins - Scotland - David II - Aberdeen - Halfgroat 1357-1367, second coinage. Obv: profile bust with sceptre and +DAVID DEI GRA REX SCOTORVM legend. Rev: long cross and mullets with +DRS PROTECTOR MEUS and VILLA ABERDON for Aberdeen mint. 1.39 grams. S. 5112; SCBI 35, 402 (same dies?"). Very fine. Rare.
World Coins - Ireland - John - Dublin / Norman - Dom(inus) Coinage Halfpenny 1190-1199, second coinage. Obv: facing bust with +IOHANNES DOM legend. Rev: short voided cross and annulets with +NORMANONDWE legend for the moneyer Norman at Dublin mint. 0.67 grams. S. 6205; D&F 36; Withers, Norman 4d. [No Reserve] Good very fine. Rare.
World Coins - Ireland - John - Dublin / Willem - Rex Coinage Halfpenny 1207-1211 AD, third coinage. Obv: facing bust with in triangle with IOHA NNE SREX legend. Rev: cross, crescent and stars in triangle with WIL. .LEM OND legend for the moneyer Willem at Dublin mint. 0.67 grams. S. 6231; D&F 51; Withers, Willem 13c. [No Reserve] Very fine. Rare.
World Coins - Ireland - John - Dublin / Willem - Rex Coinage Halfpenny 1207-1211 AD, third coinage. Obv: facing bust with in triangle with IOHA .NNE. .SREX legend. Rev: cross, crescent and stars in triangle with WIL. .LEM OND legend for the moneyer Willem at Dublin mint. 0.60 grams. S. 6231; D&F 51; Withers, Willem 13c variant (obverse pellets"). Very fine. Rare.
World Coins - Ireland - Edward IV - Drogheda - Cross-and-Pellets Penny 1473-1478 AD, light coinage. Obv: facing bust with pellet to sides of crown and neck with [+EDWARD DI GR DNS HYBE] legend. Rev: long cross with open quatrefoil at centre and pellets with [VILLA DE DROGHEDA] legend for Drogheda mint (the combination of obverse and reverse features are for this mint only"). 0.51 grams. S. 6373; Burns Dr-13. [No Reserve] Very fine; clipped as usual. Very rare; only seven examples recorded by Burns.
World Coins - Ireland - Free State - 1943 - Halfcrown Dated 1943, last silver issue. Obv: standing horse with Gaelic legend and 2s6d mark of value. Rev: harp with EIRE and date. 13.79 grams. S. 6633; D&F 708. [No Reserve] Good fine. Very rare (about 1200 struck); the key date in the Free State halfcrown series.
Bronze Age Halstatt Sword Scabbard Chape 800-600 BC. A cast bronze scabbard chape in the form of a cockerel with central sleeve, triangular beaked head to one side and curled tail to the other; large pelta-shaped plaque below; the outer edges furnished with a stepped panel; pierced twice near the upper edges for attachment. 73 grams, 11.5cm (4 1/2"). Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired Antiqueo, France, 2005; previously with a Drouet, France, auction sale. Cf. similar item in the Axel Guttmann collection, reference AG1005. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. [No Reserve] Good condition; lower portion detached. Rare.
Roman Bronze Figurine of the God Nilus 1st-2nd century AD. A cast figurine depicting the god Nilus modelled with the long robes and cornucopia of Fortuna, the bearded head and modius of Serapis and facial features of Priapus; right arm absent. 67 grams, 81mm (3 1/4"). Property of a European gentleman living in the UK; formerly in a private collection formed in the 1990s. A rare depiction of the god Nilus (the personification of the River Nile) shown standing – most images show him reclining. He carries a cornucopia and wears a modius on his head – both symbols of the prosperity and abundance that the river provided. Very fine condition. Very rare.
Roman Bronze Bound Scythian Captive Figurine 1st-2nd century AD. A cast figurine of a bearded captive with hands tied at his chest, right leg extended and left leg bent beneath, conical cap; three fixing holes to the rear; mounted on a custom-made stand. 109 grams, 51mm including stand (2"). Private London collection; acquired in the UK before 1980. Very fine condition, cleaned and conserved. Rare.
Roman Bronze Articulated Shoulder Armour 3rd-4th century AD. A group of scales from a lorica squamata set of scale armour, each slightly curved in the vertical plane and pierced twice for lacing; two D-shaped plaques, five similar with two scoops to the lower edge, eight similar with three scoops. 40 grams total, 22-27mm (3/4 - 1"). English private collection; acquired in the 1970s. See the scale armour from the Roman fort at Dura Europos in James, S. Excavations at Dura Europos 1928-1937. VII The Arms, Armour and Other Military Equipment, London, 2004, p.120-9. [15] Fine condition. Extremely rare.
Roman Bronze Marc Antony and Cleopatra Weight 1st century BC. A cast discoid lead trade weight with boss to the reverse, jugate profile busts of Marc Antony and Cleopatra to the obverse with faint inscription (MONON[..]?) above the heads; mounted on a custom-made stand. 82 grams, 56mm including stand (2 1/4"). Property of a gentleman; acquired in the 1970s. Fine condition, cleaned and conserved. Very rare.
Roman Enamelled Bronze Votive Altar 1st-2nd century AD. A hollow-cast miniature altar (or incense burner?) with four splayed legs, panels of enamelled ornament to the sides, peg to each corner of the upper face and central void. 21 grams, 28mm (1"). Found Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, UK. Cf. similar find from South Shields, Northumberland, UK in Allason-Jones, L. & Miket, R. The Catalogue of Small Finds from South Shields Roman Fort, Newcastle, 1984, item 3.1. Fine condition. Extremely rare.
Bronze Age British 'Glenalla' Type Decorated Flat Axe 2000-1800 BC. A large axehead with curved butt, slight lateral flanges, broad flared blade with convex cutting edge; the blade with a distinct facet and median bevel; three zones of applied linear decoration in herringbone, horizontal and vertical formats extending over most of each surface. 466 grams, 17cm (6 3/4"). Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired privately, 2008; found Feltwell, Norfolk, UK. Cf. Evans, J. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881, item 3; Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England, Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Ab. IX, vol. 7, Munich, 1981, p.61-2. Recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme, reference number PAS SF-9072A6. The PAS report describes the item as a 'Class 4' axe; Sir Richard Ground notes that it belongs to Schmidt & Burgess's Gleballa Type or its eastern English equivalent. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. [No Reserve] Fine condition, edge slightly chipped from use. Rare type, with extensive ornament to surfaces.
Viking Bronze Box Brooch with Interlaced Panels 8th-9th century AD. A hollow-cast drum-shaped brooch with four raised arms and central knop to the upper face; the outer sidewall with four panels of knotwork, dividing panels with hatched motif, D-shaped protrusion; the upper face with dense zoomorphic ornament; pin and catchplate to the reverse, four studs retaining the bottom plate to the upper. 62 grams, 44mm (1 3/4"). Property of a gentleman; formerly in a 19th century collection. Cf. MacGregor, A. et al. A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 1.9. Extremely fine condition. A rare type.
Viking Iron Pattern-Welded Sword 9th century AD. A finely-crafted sword with a thin (about 3 mm) blade and long (110 mm) grip; the hilt of the general form of Petersen's Types H and I, featuring a sub-triangular pommel with an elliptical cross-section and with a noticeable step where the rounded pommel connects to the flatter upper guard; the hilt unusually thin and flat for a Viking-period sword; the tang broad and flat, with continuation of the bars of the pattern-welded blade; the lower guard about 90 mm wide, flat and slightly elliptical in cross-section with a broad, rectangular slot for the blade and tang; the blade about 50 mm wide at the hilt, composed from two twisted iron billets and an outer shoe, the billets worked up from blocks of iron of varying grades, twisted flattened, placed side-by-side with the direction of twist opposed, forge-welded to each other, then thinned and stretched to the length of the blade (presently 81 cm); the cutting edges formed from a single billet of steel, split and forged onto the core; the present surface showing the construction method and the characteristic herringbone pattern created by the opposed twist of the central billets. 730 grams, 97cm (38 1/4"). Ex Wigington collection, UK in 1984; formerly in a 19th century collection. Cf. Petersen, J. De Norske Vikingesverd. En Typologisk-Kronologisk Studie over Vikingetidens Vaaben, Kristiania, 1919, p.101 Type I (fig.86-87) of which 16 swords are known to have been found in Norway, and Petersen claimed that these are from East Norway and Trøndelag. The type also appears in Peirce, I. Swords of the Viking Age Woodbridge, 2002, p.18. The present sword is to be published in the monograph Denkowicz, K., Kucypera, P. & Pud?o, P. From the Roman Period into the Early Middle Ages: Reflections on a Certain Peculiar Sword, (Nicolaus Copernicus University, forthcoming, 2014"). It is the authors' contention that the blade of the sword can be assigned a date in the early centuries AD, the 'Canterbury-Kopki' Type of M. Biborski, while the hilt is undoubtedly later - possibly a Scandinavian copy of a Carolingian type from the later 8th or early 9th century AD. The authors conclude that the blade was of Roman manufacture, and that the present hilt was fitted to it in the Viking period, a practice known from several other examples (e.g. the Korsgården, Hedemark, Norway and the Bargello Museum, Florence, Italy"). Fine condition. Excessively rare.
Viking Gold Twisted Ring 9th-11th century AD. A delicate finger ring formed from a round-section wire, the ends twisted about the hoop, probably for a child. 0.75 grams, 13mm overall, 10.65mm internal diameter (1/2"). Property of a European gentleman living in Northamptonshire. Extremely fine condition. Rare.
Viking Silver Pendant with Bird Facing Back 10th-13th century AD. A flat-section discoid pendant with coiled suspension loop, reserved design of a regardant bird on a textured field; Baltic workmanship. 1.61 grams, 32mm (1 1/4"). Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Extremely fine condition. Excessively rare.
Bronze Age British 'Aylesford' Type Decorated Flat Axe 2000-1500 BC. A large flared flat-section axehead with slightly convex cutting edge, rounded butt; to one face, three rows of lightly incised bilinear chevrons. 618 grams, 16.5cm (6 1/2"). Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired privately, 2007; found Lincolnshire, UK. Cf. Evans, J. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881, item 29; Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England, Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Ab. IX, vol. 7, Munich, 1981, p.60. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. [No Reserve] Fine condition; surfaces a little pitted and chipped. Rare.
Viking Silver-Gilt Pendant with Enmeshed Beasts 8th-10th century AD. A cast pendant with integral slotted suspension loop, pair of addorsed S-shaped hippocampi with billetted bodies, roundels to the hips, coiled tails, avian profile heads; Baltic workmanship. 12 grams, 39mm (1 1/2"). Property of a gentleman; acquired in the 1990s. Extremely fine condition. Excessively rare.
Viking Silver 'Elfshot' Protective Amulet 9th-10th century AD. A trapezoidal silver sleeve with granule lozenges to one face, clusters to the reverse, flat-section loop above; small flint blade with broken tip. 5 grams, 45mm (1 3/4"). From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. See discussion of curated stone blades for magical and curative purposes in Evans, J. The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, London, 1897, p.365. This amulet was believed to be protection against “Elfshot”: the attack of elves was believed to be responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock. 'Elfshot' described sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof, country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occuring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. The belief in elfshot begins in the Pagan Germanic period and this amulet is a very early and rare example. Fine condition; tip of knife absent. Extremely rare.
Stone Age Vin?a Ceramic Tripod Figure Neolithic, 5000-4000 BC. A terracotta figurine of a seated mother with an infant supported by each arm; pierced lobes to the hair and ears of the mother, and one to the top of each child's head; incised lines indicating the details of costume. 710 grams, 19cm (7 1/4"). Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Fine condition, repaired. Rare.
Stone Age British Knapped Flint Knife Neolithic, 3000-1500 BC. A fully bifacial knife of fine workmanship in pale grey, mottled flint, the blade of slightly asymmetrical form, the butt probably once hafted in bone or antler; the convex edges showing slight usage polish. 29 grams, 11cm (4 1/4"). Property of a gentleman; found Winchester, UK, in the 1970s. Cf. Smith, Reginald A., The Sturge Collection, no. 466, pl. VIII for an example of generally similar type. Extremely fine condition. Rare.
Stone Age British 'Avebury' Implement Group Neolithic, 3000-2000 BC. A mixed flint group comprising: two D-shaped scrapers, one with old inked museum collection number '1146' and circumflex above; a globular nodule with one worked edge; a facetted scraper with inked notation 'Avebury Neolithic' and figure '5' within a square. 155 grams total, 44 - 53mm (1 3/4 - 2"). Pickard collection, Surrey, UK; thence by descent 1978; gifted by Alexander Keiller in the early 1950s. The prehistoric henge monument at Avebury, Wiltshire, UK, is the largest megalithic site in Europe, dating to around 2,600 BC. During the medieval period, many of the stones were toppled and buried, at the instigation of Christian clerics who believed it to be associated with the Devil; in later years some of the stones were broken up 'with fire and hammers' for building material. It attracted attention from early antiquarians such as John Aubrey (who made a plan of it) and William Stukely (who wrote of it); Charles II visited the site with Aubrey in 1663. Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913), 1st Baron Avebury who coined the terms 'palaeolithic' and 'neolithic' and authored early books on ancient man, purchased the site in 1871 to protect it. In 1934 the archaeologist Alexander Keiller (1889-1955) started excavations in the area and, recognising its importance, he purchased the site and excavated the monument from 1937-1939 (report published 1965), forming a museum of the finds from 1938 and reinstating many of the buried stones as they were discovered. His work ceased with the start of the Second World War when the museum was closed; he sold the site to the National Trust in 1943 and, in 1966, his widow donated his museum contents to the nation; these are now displayed with other finds from the site which, with nearby Stonehenge, is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [4] Fine condition. Rare with this 'museum' provenance.
Stone Age British 'Avebury' Implement Group Neolithic, 3000-2000 BC. A mixed flint group comprising: a narrow triangular point with curved profile; a D-shaped scraper; a nodule with one worked face; a trapezoidal scraper with old inked museum collection number to one face 'SH AV' flanking a triangle with '1018' notation, another with AV. 297 grams total, 46-118mm (1 3/4 - 4 1/4"). Pickard collection, Surrey, UK; thence by descent 1978; gifted by Alexander Keiller in the early 1950s. The prehistoric henge monument at Avebury, Wiltshire, UK, is the largest megalithic site in Europe, dating to around 2,600 BC. During the medieval period, many of the stones were toppled and buried, at the instigation of Christian clerics who believed it to be associated with the Devil; in later years some of the stones were broken up 'with fire and hammers' for building material. It attracted attention from early antiquarians such as John Aubrey (who made a plan of it) and William Stukely (who wrote of it); Charles II visited the site with Aubrey in 1663. Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913), 1st Baron Avebury who coined the terms 'palaeolithic' and 'neolithic' and authored early books on ancient man, purchased the site in 1871 to protect it. In 1934 the archaeologist Alexander Keiller (1889-1955) started excavations in the area and, recognising its importance, he purchased the site and excavated the monument from 1937-1939 (report published 1965), forming a museum of the finds from 1938 and reinstating many of the buried stones as they were discovered. His work ceased with the start of the Second World War when the museum was closed; he sold the site to the National Trust in 1943 and, in 1966, his widow donated his museum contents to the nation; these are now displayed with other finds from the site which, with nearby Stonehenge, is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [4] Fine condition. Rare with this 'museum' provenance.
Stone Age British Knapped Flint Sickle-Knife Neolithic, 3000-1500 BC. A fully bifacial sickle-knife of fine workmanship in grey-brown translucent flint; one edge convex, the other slightly concave; showing usage polish to the concave edge in particular. 36 grams, 11.5cm (4 1/2"). Property of a gentleman, by descent from the vendor's father, who formed his collection in the 1990s; found Norwich, Norfolk, UK, in 1939. Cf. Evans, John, The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, p. 355, fig. 267a for a very similar example. Very fine condition; tiny loss at one tip. Rare.
Stone Age British Knapped Flint Halberd Neolithic, 3000-2000 BC. A bifacial hooked halberd blade, in a dark grey-brown transluscent flint, the curved edges carefully shaped, with some possibly later retouching resulting in a notch to the concave edge. 62 grams, 13cm (5"). Property of a gentleman, by descent from the vendor's father, who formed his collection in the 1990s; found County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, UK, in 1952. Cf. O'Riordain, The Halberd in Bronze Age Europe, (Archaeologia 86), fig. 40, for other Irish examples. Similar blades in flint for transverse hafting are rare finds; it is suggested that they were more for ceremonial than practical use due to their fragility; there is also a suggestion that the well known Bronze Age halberd blades evolved from flint originals (cf. Schuhmacher, Thomas X., Some Remarks on the Origin and Chronology of Halberds in Europe, Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 21(3), pp. 263-288 for discussion; printout offered with this lot) and Ireland seems to have been the likely origin of the general bronze type, from circa 2300 BC. Very fine condition. Extremely rare.
Bronze Age British 'Sompting' Type Looped and Socketted Axehead 800-700 BC. A substantial cast socketted axehead with ribbed collar to the mouth, flared blade with convex cutting edge and hammer facets; thick lateral loop. 524 grams, 14.5cm (5 3/4"). Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired TimeLine Auctions, lot 300, 14 March 2013; ex Mike Nellist Collection, acquired Bonham's sale, lot 157, 28 October 2004; formerly Robert Stephen Murray Collection and Roger Box (1983); found North Somerset, prior to 1980. Cf. Evans, J. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881, item 116; Moore, C.N. & Rowlands, M. Bronze Age Metalwork in Salisbury Museum, Salisbury, 1972, item 42; Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England, Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Ab. IX, vol. 7, Munich, 1981, item 1579. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. [No Reserve] Extremely fine condition. Very rare.
Byzantine Glass Theotokos Figurine 5th-8th century AD. A green glass figurine of the Theotokos holding the infant Christ on her left shoulder, on a tiered base. 12 grams, 67mm (2 1/2"). From an important Chinese collection of art by descent, the property of a Hong Kong family living in London, 1960s. [No Reserve] Fine condition. Rare.
Western Asiatic Bronze Chariot Hunter Mid 3rd millennium BC. A diorama on a rectangular framework base comprising: two stationary horses with halters attached to a round-section balustered yoke; a two-wheeled hunting chariot with stepped axle-tree and linch-pins to the solid wheels; a kilted hunter standing bare-chested and bearded holding the reins (part absent), with a slaughtered animal across the frame before him, game-bag behind to his left and quiver with arrows to his right; to the rear, a small hunting dog riding on the chariot's beam. 692 grams, 18.5cm (7 1/4"). Ex Auction FR, Paris, 17 December 2008, Lot 83; formerly in an important North London collection formed before 1980. See Frankfort, H. The Art and Architecture of the Ancient Orient, Middlesex, 1954. The horse was first domesticated on the Eurasian steppe, its original habitat, perhaps as early as the 4th millennium BC; it may have been bred as a food source initially, but its use as a traction animal had begun by the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC, replacing the ox for this purpose. Wheeled vehicles had already appeared in the 3rd millennium BC, but the spoked wheel is not evidenced until the late 2nd millennium BC. The earliest known physical remains of chariots are in the chariot burials of the Andronovo Culture, an Indo-Iranian population in the area of modern Russia and Kazakhstan dating to around 2000 BC. The combination of multiple horses and light-framed two-wheeled vehicles offered the possibility of travel at speed, both for war and for hunting. Chariot warfare originated with the Hittites, with the invention of spoked wheels around 1900 BC. Depictions of hunting in a chariot appear in Egypt after the vehicle's introduction by the Hyksos in the 16th century BC, notably at Abu Simbel where the Battle of Kadesh fought in 1274 BC is represented, showing Ramses II fighting from a chariot with two archers accompanying him. See similar example made from gold that forms part of the Oxus Treasure now in the British museum. Very fine condition. Very rare. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate.
Near Eastern Syro-Hittite Gold Bracelet with Addorsed Ducks 12th-7th century BC. A two-part annular bracelet comprising a sheet-gold tube over a core; on the longer, female section, the open rim strengthened and decorated with a guilloche in filigree gold wire; on the male section, above the two joining pegs, an addorsed pair of waterfowl with voided eyes and apertures to the rear. 31 grams, 80mm (3 1/4"). Property of a lady, acquired by the owner's grandfather, Judge Hasan Tahsin-Sinan Berki, circa 1920; thence by descent. Fine condition, professionally cleaned and restored. Extremely rare.
Western Asiatic Achaemenid Gold Lion Head 550-330 BC. A sheet-gold repoussé lion-head decorative element from a rhyton drinking vessel, with tubular socket and mane detail, raised ears and brows; mounted on a custom-made stand. 64 grams, 70mm including stand (2 3/4"). From an important North London collection formed before 1980. Fine condition. Rare. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate.
Western Asiatic Babylonian Lapis Lazuli Cylinder Seal with Presentation Scene 1900-1700 BC. A carved lapis lazuli seal with frieze of deities and attendants; supplied with a cast; accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder seal of lapis lazuli, 17.5 x 9 mm, A presentation scene is shown. On the right a god sits on a padded stool. He is wearing a hat with deep brim and long fringed robe. In one hand he is holding a small cup. Facing him is a standing worshipper, with bare head and similar long fringed robe. Standing behind him is a Lamma goddess, in horned tiara and long flounced robe, raising both hands. There is a crescent in the sky and a small standing man in short kilt behind the god, raising one hand. There are four fillers: three dots, 'vessel', 'ball-staff' and a dancing man with splayed legs. This is an Old Babylonian seal, c. 1900-1700 B.C. It is in a rare stone for the period, and is nicely engraved. The surface is a little worn, but the design remains clear.' 2.84 grams, 18mm (3/4"). From an important North London collection formed before 1980. This lot is part of a single collection of cylinder seals which were examined by the late Professor Lambert in the 1980s and many are accompanied by Professor Lambert’s own detailed notes; the collection has recently been reviewed by Dr. Ronald Bonewitz. It is accompanied by a museum-quality impression of the seal’s design. Fine condition.
Western Asiatic Old Babylonian Cuneiform Tablet 2000-1800 BC. A cuneiform clay tablet with text to both broad faces and one edge; accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: ’Clay Tablet, 96 x 54 mm. with Cuneiform Inscription. This is an oblong tablet, written on both sides. The surface is abraded in parts so that no co[m]plete decipherment is possible, but its character can be ascertained and some of it can be translated. The text is of ten sections of three lines each, 6 on the obverse, four on the reverse, with four extra lines of different character as a kind of colophon. The ten sections are set out like a lexical text: a Sumerian sign is written as the first sign of the line, then after a gap the line is completed with a group of signs: in some sense rendering the initial sign. The first line of each section has such Sumerian signs, the second and third only one. They are: ŠITA, DIŠ, and Ù. The Babylonian complement is always an Old Babylonian personal name, and never the same name twice. Two sections will illustrate this: SITA-a-ap-xx a-li-ilu-ki-in/ DIŠ e-pe-es-ilu/ Ù a-pil-ili-su / ŠITA.nam èr-ra-da-pi-in/ DIŠ a-……-i-mi-id/Ù i-li-ip-pa-al-sa-am. This is so far unique in Old Babylonian lexical texts, and it is not clear how the names came to be mated to the signs in the first column, nor what was being achieved thereby. This is thus a rare document so far without parallel.' 158 grams, 96mm (3 3/4"). Property of a North London collector; acquired in the 1970s. Fine condition, some abrasion. Very rare.
Western Asiatic Old Babylonian Terracotta Lion Moulding 20th-16th century BC. A subrectangular ceramic plaque with low-relief figure of a Mesopotamian lion standing right with raised tail and gaping jaws. 121 grams, 12cm (4 3/4"). Ex Terence Eva collection; acquired prior to 1985. The lion was sacred to the goddess Ishtar and multiple images of this animal are found on the processional street leading from the famous “Gates of Ishtar” at Babylon and now in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin. Fine condition. Rare.
Medieval Gilt-Bronze Limoges Corpus Christi Figure 13th century AD. A cast Corpus Christi, hollow to the reverse, with enamelled panels to the loincloth; pierced at hands and feet for attachment; crown with incised lozenge motifs; black glass inserts to the eyes. 14 grams, 76mm (3"). Property of a European gentleman living in the UK; formerly in a private collection formed in the 1990s. Very fine condition. Rare.
Medieval Silver-Gilt and Rock Crystal Doublet Ring with Wolf-Heads 13th-14th century AD. A broad D-section hoop with gussetted outer face, pelletted band; the shoulders formed as wolf-heads with jaws supporting the plaque, a discoid cabochon in talon setting. 2.42 grams, 23mm overall, 19.39mm internal diameter (approximate size British S 1/2, USA 9 1/4, Europe 20.73, Japan 20) (1"). Property of a European gentleman living in the UK; formerly in a private collection formed in the 1990s. Cf. Taylor, G. & Scarisbrick, D. Finger Rings from Ancient Egypt to the Present Day, Oxford, 1978, item 429. The stone is a 'doublet' with a rock crystal upper face and a hardstone beneath, extremely rare for a ring of this age. Very fine condition. An extremely rare stone.
Medieval Norman Silver-Gilt Dress Ornament Late 12th-Early 13th century AD. A flat-section disc with beaded border, repoussé design of two addorsed dog-headed birds with trefoils issuing from their connected tongues. 1.42 grams, 26mm (1"). Property of a Middlesex gentleman; acquired in the 1980s. Very fine condition. Rare.
Medieval Enamelled Bronze Heraldic 'Robert Tipetot' Cloak Fastener 14th century AD. A flat-section heater-shaped plaque with strap to the reverse, loop to one end and hook to the other; the surface with red-enamelled saltire engrailed design on a plain field. 10 grams, 31mm (1 1/4"). Found near Warwick, Warwickshire, UK. The red saltire engrailed is associated with Robert Tipetot (or Tibetot) in the Dering Roll, where the field is white (argent"). The same name appears in the Camden Roll, D70; St George's Roll, E228; Charles's Roll, F88. Very fine condition. Excessively rare.
Medieval Gilt-Bronze 'Allah' Horse Harness Pendant 13th century AD. An Islamic flat-section teardrop-shaped plaque with trefoil finial and thick suspension loop; tremello border enclosing panels with ornament and stylised 'A L L' for Allah. 38 grams, 97mm (4"). Property of a Middlesex gentleman; acquired in the 1980s. [No Reserve] Fine condition. Rare.
Bronze Age Decorated 'Sögel Culture' Dagger 1500-1300 BC. A cast ogival-shaped blade with scooped midrib; to each face an engraved panel of parallel lines and arches following the profile of the blade; six plug rivets to the upper edge. 124 grams, 20.5cm (8"). Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired Christie's, New York, sale 1531, lot 67 (hammer price $6,600); ex 'South Styrian Noble Collection'; by gift from Marie Gabriele Ernestine von Windisch-Gratz, Duchess of Mecklenberg (the niece of Prince Ernst), circa 1900. Cf. Gerloff, S. Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Abteilung VI, 2. Band. The Early Bronze Age Daggers in Great Britain, C.H. Beck'sche Verlagbuchhandlung, Munich, 1975, p.117. Sir Richard Ground notes that the fashion for decorating the surfaces of swords, daggers and other items is typical of the Apa and Sögel cultures on the Continent. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. [No Reserve] Extremely fine condition. Very rare.
Georgian British Navy 'Noonday' Bronze Cannon with Carriages Pair Dated 1741 AD. A matched pair of cast bronze 'noonday' half-inch bore miniature cannon for black powder; the barrels with flared muzzles, astragal and fillet moulds to the reinforcing rings, breech bases and knobs; each with stamped 'broad arrow' mark on top face for the British War Department and with raised square plate above the touchhole engraved with the British crowned cypher for George II, the right side trunnion stamped with the date '1741' and the left with maker's mark 'IEC', possibly for the Swedish gun founding company Ehrendal Foundry which supplied arms to the British government in the 18th century period; each barrel mounted on a traditional wheeled hardwood carriage with metal fittings and chains, including a separate wedge for elevation. 3 kg total, 23cm (9"). Ex Jersey collection; acquired 1980s. Miniature cannons were fired to mark noon each day (the height of the sun at noon being critical for navigational computations, knowing the precise time was very important) and were also used for general signalling; they would have been present at naval shore establishments wherever the British Navy was based throughout the world. [2] Fine condition; the wood carriages restored. Rare, especially as a matching pair.
Scandinavian Pre-Viking Gold Figural Bracteate 6th century AD. A broad repoussé bracteate of Type C with outer band of punched ring-and-dot motifs, repoussé pelletted border surrounding a stylised horseman; the horse in profile, body elements disjointed with arched back, extended foreleg, looped hind leg, arched neck and c-shaped head with pellet eye; the rider symbolised by an oversized profile head with trapezoidal nasal, radiating strokes to the eye, jaw and nasal; hair looped behind the head and bird-head extension above the brow. 4.09 grams, 35mm (1 1/2"). Private collection, North London; acquired in the early 1980s; ex Russian collection. Cf. bracteate imagery in Franceschi, G., Jorn, A. & Magnus, B. Mennesker, Guder og Masker i Nordisk Jernalderkunst, vol.1, Borgen, 2005, figs. 101-126. Bracteates likely derived from Roman/Byzantine portrait medallions, presented by the emperor to forge personal and political alliances. Here, however, the imperial image has been transformed into a depiction of what is probably a god from the Nordic pantheon, his oversized face balanced atop a galloping horse with horns. With their skillful workmanship and allusions to the Roman/Byzantine world, gold bracteates conveyed both the sophisticated taste and high social status of their owners, who wore them as fine jewelry and hoarded them as treasure. Fine condition. Very rare. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate.
A Rare Aesthetic Movement Highly Carved Cabinet Cupboard In Oak. The top has three leaded top doors with carved geometric panels below, crisply carved. The top has three panels carved with a Japanese style decoration. The cupboards are supported by 'L' shaped iron hinged of simple form. The base has three large drawers with unusual steel ring pull handles. The sides are finely carved to match the front of the cupboard. Terminating on a square reeded type leg. Carved & signed to the sides, Makers name 'J.C.Sowerby' Dated 1886. Similar to pieces sold by Libertys Of London in the late 19th Century. 70'' in height, 18'' in depth & 79.5'' in width.
Captain George Eyston World Land Speed Record Flick Book, a rare original copy, published by Castrol, c1937/8, showing Capt. Eyston getting into his car 'Thunderbolt', when 'flicked' one way, and the car in action on the Bonneville Flats, Utah, USA, breaking the World's Land Speed Record when 'flicked' the other way; 3 inches high x 2 wide; an exceptionally rare original copy
Flower Cut Rose de France Amethyst Bangle, eleven Rose de France amethysts, totalling 15cts, in an unusual flower cut, set in a line across a rose gold vermeil and silver oval, hinged bangle, fastened with a tongue and box clasp with figure-of-eight safety catch; a rare and beautiful combination of the particular shade of amethyst called Rose de France, the unusual flower cut and the rose gold
Swarovski Crystal Figures, 3 in total, 1. Swan, Large. Designer Max Schreck, Number 7633 NR 063 000, 2, Rare Partridge Figure, Number 7625 050 000, Designer Adi Stocker, 2'' in height, 3. Elephant, Large, Designer Max Schreck, Number 7640 NR 060 000, 2 3/8'' All Figures are in mint condition and complete with boxes.
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