There are 209236 lots that match your search criteria. Subscribe now to get instant access to the full price guide service.
Click here to subscribeA late 19th century white-cased satin glass vase probably New England Glass Works, in the rare coloration known as `Golden Honey`, the flattened globular body shading from the cream, shallow foot, through yellow to caramel at the top of the slightly bulbous slender neck, 10½in. (26.5cm.) high.
FINE RARE CHINESE HAND CARVED JADEITE SNUFF BOTTLEExquisite and rare Chinese fully relief carved jadeite leaf form snuff bottle main body resembling a melon or gourd with vines, flowers and leaves climbing down both sides of the front and back with stopper being the main stem with bone spoon. The colors are excellent with the body being of a olive green with tiny russet inclusions and the front flowers, leaves and vines being of a total russet coloring and the tall stem lid having apple green, olive and russet. The surfaces are nicely polished along with fine details. Includes hardwood stand is executed with more of the same designs as the bottle with flowers, stems and leaves in an open work design with the top custom fitted to receive the bottle. 19th/20th century. Includes fitted wooden stand. Measures 3" height x 1 3/8" width + 3/4" base height (7.6cm x 3.5cm + 1.9cm). Total jadeite weight NOT including stand 41 grams.
13th CENTURY KOREAN GORYEO DYNASTY CELADON BOWLAntique and rare Korean Goryeo Dynasty celadon stoneware pottery bird bowl. The bowl is inlaid with white slip and black accents on the interior with a scene of birds flying amongst clouds. The exterior is also inlaid with white slip displaying a beautiful design of scrolling and flowers. 13th/14th century. Measures about 7 1/2" diameter x 2 1/2" height (19.1cm x 6.3cm). Total weight of 588 grams.
Historic Specimen of CharoiteA block of Russian charoite with natural and sawn surfaces, incorporating other minerals including tinaksite, ekanite, microcline feldspar, aegerine, augite and metallic copper sulphide; this specimen from the first consignment brought to the western world in 1977. 2.16 kg, 16 cm. (6 1/2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex Christopher Cavey collection with label, noting the specimen`s origin. Charoite (K(Ca;Na)2Si4O10(OH;F)·H2O)[3], pronounced CHAR-oh-ite, is a rare mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River. It has been reported only from the Sakha Republic, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia. Though reportedly discovered in the 1940s, it was not known to the outside world until its description in 1978. It is opaque and unattractive when found in the field; a fact that may have contributed to its late recognition; this is evident from the weathered surface on the back of this specimen.Very fine condition. Sawn surface lustrous but not polished, an historic piece and rare thus.Starting Price: £150
Rare Cyclic Twin of Alexandrite ChrysoberylAn unusual cyclic twin of alexandrite chrysoberyl, with a smaller attached cyclic twin. 4.81 grams, 20 mm. (3/4"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex Christopher Cavey collection (with label); from Fort Victoria, Zimbabwe. Alexandrite is named for the former czar of Russia, Alexander II, and was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia, supposedly on the day of his birth. An interesting feature of alexandrite`s crystals are the cyclic twins called trillings. These twinned crystals have a hexagonal appearance, but are the result of a triplet of twins with each twin oriented at 120 degrees to its neighbors and taking up 120 degrees of the cyclic trilling.[No Reserve]Very fine condition. Very unusual and rare.Starting Price: £5
Large Section of Stalactitic Rhodochrosite with a Polished SectionThe stalactite shows excellent form; the section excellent colour. 2.4 kg total, 21 cm (stalactite), 8.8 cm (section). (8 1/4-3 1/2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection. Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral with chemical composition MnCO3. In its (rare) pure form, it is typically a rose-red color, but impure specimens can be shades of pink to pale brown. Colorado officially named rhodochrosite as its state mineral in 2002. The reason for this lies in the fact that while the mineral is found worldwide, large red crystals are found only in a few places on earth, and specimens have been found in the Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado. The Incas believed that rhodochrosite is the blood of their former rulers, turned to stone, therefore it is sometimes called Rosa del Inca or Inca Rose.[2, No Reserve]Very fine condition.Starting Price: £5
Unusual Charoite Sphere on Charoite Base with a Charoite EggA finely crafted sphere of the rare mineral charoite, with an octagonal base of the same mineral; accompanied by an egg of the same material; both sphere and egg of particularly good colour. 436 grams with base, 116 grams; 8 cm (sphere), 5 cm (egg). (3, 2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; sphere ex Christopher Cavey (with bill of sale), egg ex Wilde Ones (with receipt). Charoite (K(Ca;Na)2Si4O10(OH;F)·H2O)[3], pronounced CHAR-oh-ite, is a rare mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River. It has been reported only from the Sakha Republic, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia and is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly lustre; it is strictly massive in nature and has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance. Though reportedly discovered in the 1940`s, it was not known to the outside world until its formal description in 1978.Very fine condition. Sphere rare in this size.Starting Price: £250
Natural Pearl Carved as a SkullA possibly unique item, this modern carving of a human skull is cut from a single large pearl, with a high standard of workmanship. 2.00 grams, 19 mm. (3/4"). Ex Douglas Rose collection. By the 1970`s, crystal skulls had entered New Age mythology as potent relics of ancient Atlantis, and they even acquired a canonical number: there were exactly thirteen skulls. The crystal skulls are a number of human skull hardstone carvings made of clear or milky quartz, known in art history as rock crystal, claimed to be pre-Columbian Mesoamerican artifacts by their alleged finders; however, none of the specimens made available for scientific study have been authenticated as pre-Columbian in origin. This modern carving of a skull from a pearl is from the same tradition; it is, nonetheless an interesting and possibly unique item.[No Reserve]Very fine condition. Very rare.Starting Price: £5
Important Meteorite Slice Showing Incomplete Accretion FusingThis important accreted meteorite slice is composed of fragments from an early phase in the creation of the solar system; possibly the remains of a collision between planitesimals, prior to the formation of the present day planets, in that the fragments from which it has accreted have not fully fused. 394 grams, 15 cm. (6"). Ex Douglas Rose collection. Planitesimals can be thought of as mini-planets which collided and reformed into the planets of the present solar system. The cores of many planitesimals had the same nickel-iron cores as the current Earth, and it is from one or more of the cores of these that this meteorite formed.Very fine condition. Rare and important.Starting Price: £150
Small Zagami Martian MeteoriteA small Martian meteorite of the shergottite type; the surface shows characteristic ablation; from the Zagami, Nigeria fall in 1962. 1.77 grams, 11 mm. (1/2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex David Baker collection (with label). A Martian meteorite is a rock that formed on the planet Mars, was ejected from Mars by the impact of an asteroid or comet, and landed on the Earth. Roughly three-quarters of all Martian meteorites can be classified as Shergottites. These are igneous rocks of mafic to ultramafic lithology and appear to have crystallised as recently as 180 million years ago, which is a surprisingly young age considering how ancient the majority of the surface of Mars appears to be, and the small size of Mars itself. Because of this, some have advocated the idea that the Shergottites are much older than this.These meteorites are thought to be from Mars because they have elemental and isotopic compositions that are similar to rocks and atmosphere gases analyzed by probes on MarsVery fine condition, Rare.Starting Price: £200
Zagami Martian Meteorite SliceA slice of the rare, famous and fully documented Zagami Martian meteorite; a calcium-rich achondrite of the shergotttite type. 8.13 grams, 38 mm. (1 1/2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex David Baker (with sales receipt); from Nigeria, 1962. In October 1962, the Zagami meteorite landed about 10 feet away from a farmer who was trying to chase crows from his corn field. Weighing at about 18 kilograms (40 pounds), the Zagami meteorite is the largest single individual Mars meteorite ever found. A `martian meteorite` is a rock that formed on the planet Mars, was ejected from Mars by the impact of an asteroid or comet and later landed on the Earth. Of over 53,000 meteorites that have been found on Earth, 99 were identified as martian (as of 30th July 2011). These meteorites are shown to be from Mars because they have elemental and isotopic compositions that are similar to rocks and atmosphere gases analyzed by spacecraft landings on Mars.Very fine condition. Very rare.Starting Price: £600
Zagami Martian Meteorite SliceA slice of the very rare Zugami Martian meteorite; an achondrite of the shergottite type. 1.19 grams, 16.5 mm. (3/4"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex David Baker (with invoice); found Zagami, Katsina Province, Nigeria, 1962. In October 1962, the Zagami meteorite landed about 10 feet away from a farmer who was trying to chase crows from his corn field. Weighing at about 18,000 grams (40 pounds), it is the largest single individual Mars meteorite ever found. A martian meteorite is a rock that formed on the planet Mars, and was ejected from Mars by the impact of an asteroid or comet, and landed on the Earth. Of over 53,000 meteorites that have been found on Earth, 99 were identified as martian (as of 30th July 2011). These meteorites are thought to be from Mars because they have elemental and isotopic compositions that are similar to rocks and atmosphere gases analyzed by probes landing on Mars.[No Reserve]Very fine condition. Very rare.Starting Price: £5
Eucrite Millbillillie MeteoriteA eucrite (calcium-rich) achondrite meteorite from Millbillillie, Wiluna District, Western Australia, showing characteristic surface ablation and flow lines. 12.20 grams, 26 mm. (1"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex David Barker collection (with label). This meteorite fell in 1960 and is red-stained on one side from the soil of the Australian outback. Eucrites are stony meteorites, many of which originate from the surface of the asteroid 4 Vesta and as such are part of the HED meteorite group.[No Reserve]Very fine condition. Rare.Starting Price: £5
Group IIE Meteorite SliceA polished section of a group IIE meteorite from the Miles, Australia, 1992 fall, showing Widmanstaten patterns in the metal and interspersed reddish mineral segments. 17.8 grams, 36 mm. (1 1/2"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; ex David Baker collection (with label). The Miles meteorite was found on open shrub farmland in Queensland, Australia in 1992, comprising a mass of about 265 kg. The iron meteorites of the IIE chemical type are octahedrites of various coarseness, most of which contain numerous inclusions of recrystallized stony silicates; unlike most iron meteorites, the type IIE are thought to have been melted out of the chondritic surface of the parent asteroid by impacts during its early history. The best candidate for this parent body is the S-type asteroid 6 Hebe.[No Reserve]Very fine condition. Rare type.Starting Price: £5
Egyptian Fine Black Serpentine ShabtiNew Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, 1307-1196 BC An extremely fine and rare black serpentine shabti, depicted in mummiform pose with the arms folded across the chest, agricultural implements in the hands, a seed bag across the back; to the face, large, almond-shaped eyes and an enigmatic slight smile; wearing a striated tripartite wig and wesekh collar; the body inscribed with six lines of hieroglyphic text comprising a shortened version of Chapter Six of `The Book of the Dead` (the `shabti` chapter), separated by a wider central column to the front; an image of Isis, winged and seated, to the centre, two wedjat eyes above her wings; inscriptions for `the illuminated one`, `Iri ka`. See Janes, G (2002) Shabtis: A Private View, p. 30, n. 9. The present example bears close similarities, in material and design, to a shabti made for one Pa-hem-neter. Janes suggests, on the basis of these similarities, that the present shabti should be identified with the one who dedicated Pa-hem-neter`s shabti, and may be attributable to a workshop in Memphis. 420 grams, 15.9 cm. (6 1/4"). Ex Douglas Rose collection; Plaisant Jozef Nestor; Christie`s New York, 8th June 2005, lot 10 and 5-6 December 2001, lot 300. Extremely fine condition. Rare.Starting Price: £9600
Egyptian Bronze Ibis FigureRoman Period, 1st-2nd century AD A rare cast figure of an ibis, standing upright; the wings folded to the body and cast with delineated feathers; long, slender neck and narrow, tapering bill; the eyes circular with small pupils. 40 grams, 84 mm. (3 1/4"). UK art market, acquired prior to 1985. Very fine condition. Rare.Starting Price: £500
Roman Bronze Enamelled Polychrome Brooch with Dolphin1st-2nd century AD A fine and rare polychrome enamelled disc brooch; intricately decorated with two concentric bands of lozenges, the outermost inlaid with blue-tinted glass, the innermost with green, against a red background; to the centre, a roundel of larger red and smaller orange trapezoid segments enclosing a charming dolphin figure, attached to the disc with a flat-based bronze peg; the creature`s face with blue enamelled eyes; red, blue, and orange roundels to the body; to the reverse, the sprung pin and catchplate intact. 54 grams, 51 mm. (2"). UK art market, acquired prior to 1985. Very fine condition.Starting Price: £1000
Etruscan Bronze Hercules Figural Mirror5th-4th century BC A fine circular mirror with incised scene to the concave side depicting Hercules and a winged female figure, probably Victory, wearing a breastplate, helmet, and long peplos, a shield in one hand and a spear in the other; Hercules with a club in his left hand and a circlet in his right; the rim slightly raised, the slender handle terminating in a triangular point with rounded knop. 150 grams, 23 cm. (9"). Property of a London Gentleman; acquired before 1990; ex Donaghue collection. Very fine condition, some patination and encrustation to plain side. Extremely rare.Starting Price: £2500
Roman Bronze Epigraphic Dedicatory PlaqueLate 2nd-early 3rd century AD A dedicatory plaque, rectangular with trapezoidal tabs, with impressed text in Roman capitals: I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) DOL(icheno) / IVNON(i) REGI(nae) / V[a]LER(ia) INGEN / VA EX IVSSO / DEI POSVIT with punched points between pairs of letters in the bottom row and elsewhere To Jupiter Best and Greatest Dolichenus and to Queen Juno, Valeria Ingenua set (this) up at the command of the god. 16 grams, 98 mm. (4"). Ex Riley collection, UK; found North-East England. Jupiter Dolichenus was popular in the late 2nd-early 3rd century AD in Britain, conflated with Rome`s principal divinity, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, whose consort was Juno Regina (`the Queen`) referred to in this text. The dedicator of the plaque is a woman. The shape of the plaque, `tabula ansata`, is typical of such plaques fixed on other objects, frequently stone. The unusual shape of the `L` reflects contemporary cursive writing, though all the other letter forms follow monumental forms; the minor mistake of `iusso` for `iussu` is common in ancient inscriptions.[No Reserve]Fine condition, repaired. Very rare.Starting Price: £5
Stone Age English Coup-de-Poing Bifacial Flint Hand AxePalaeolithic, circa 600,000-400,000 BP A fully bifacial core hand axe, finely knapped with slightly concave sides tapering to a fine point in an orange-brown coarse flint with small area of original cortex to butt; with inked Dewey collection reference and Weller collection label. See Evans, Sir J. Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain, 2nd edition, 1897. 555 grams, 18 cm. (7"). Ex Dr. Weller collection (item 11), by bequest; formerly in the Henry Dewey collection (reference B.15, 3/9/1931); found Lower Level Axe Valley, Broom Crossing, Devon, UK, 1931. Superb condition, as made. Rare.Starting Price: £300
Stone Age European Polished Jadeite AxeNeolithic, circa 4,000-2,000 BC A fully polished axe with asymmetric convex cutting edge in a pale grey neophrite; with Dewey and Weller collection labels. See Evans, Sir J. Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain, 2nd edition, 1897. 185 grams, 95 mm. (3 3/4"). Ex Dr. M. G. Weller collection (item 655), by bequest; formerly in the Henry Dewey collection (item 024), by gift; formerly in the L. de Rouzic collection, 1921; found Dolmen de Saint-Adrien, Ploemeur, Brittany, France, circa 1920 or earlier. Excellent condition with minor wear to cutting edge. Rare.Starting Price: £200
Stone Age English Flint Hand AxePalaeolithic, circa 350,000 BP A massive and well-formed bifacial hand axe in grey flint with white patination, inked notation ‘Lavant’ (West Sussex). See Evans, Sir J. Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain, 2nd edition, 1897. 1.25 kg, 21 cm. (8 1/4"). Ex David Winter collection; found Lavant, West Sussex, UK in the 1970`s. As made condition. Rare.Starting Price: £150
Stone Age English Flint Hand Axe GroupPalaeolithic, circa 350,000 BP Two large and well-formed bifacial hand axes in grey flint with white patination, inked notation ‘Lavant’ (West Sussex). See Evans, Sir J. Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain, 2nd edition, 1897. 970-997 grams, 18-20 cm. (7 - 8"). Ex David Winter collection; found Lavant, West Sussex, 1970`s. [2, No Reserve]As made condition. Rare.Starting Price: £5
Stone Age English Knapped Flint AxeMesolithic, circa 15,000 BC A large and typical Mesolithic axe of lozenge section in a pale grey flint with a convex cutting edge; the butt showing local crushing from use as a hammer, with inked notation ‘Netley Marsh Solent’ and showing barnacle rings from being recovered from the sea. See Evans, Sir J. Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain, 2nd edition, 1897. 745 grams, 19 cm. (7 1/2"). Ex David Winter collection; recovered from the sea (drowned landscape area) at Netley Marsh, Solent, Hampshire, UK 1970`s. [No Reserve]As made condition. Rare.Starting Price: £5
Bronze Age English Socketted Arrow or Javelin PointLate Bronze Age, 1,200-900 BC A cast bronze socketted projectile point with symmetrical tapering convex cutting edges and a neatly formed securing rivet hole to each side of the socket. See Evans, Sir J.The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, 1881, p.326 for a similar item of looped and socketted form. 18 grams, 49 mm. (2"). Found by Ian Price in the side of a river bank, to the south of Eye, Suffolk, just off the road to Occold, 7th July 2012. This is a most unusual item, apparently without direct parallel. It is obviously too small to be considered a spearhead and the internal diameter of the socket suggests a shaft diamater of some 13 mm, which seems large for an arrow shaft. It is possible that it is the point for a javelin or light throwing spear, possibly with feathered flights and perhaps thrown with the aid of an atlatl or similar. A looped and socketted example from Ireland, with a more defined blade, is known. Although a complete item in its own right, it is perhaps possible that this item has been contemporaneously formed for the purpose by adapting a small spearhead tip.Extremely fine condition. Excessively rare, possibly unique.Starting Price: £5
Iron Age Celtic Iron Looped and Socketted Axe700-600 BC A rare English found transitional type of socketted and looped axe, following the traditional late Bronze Age forms having an oval socket mouth with thickened rim, the wedge-shaped blade with slightly convex cutting edge, a single side-loop to secure to an L-shaped wooden haft. See Smith, R.A. British Museum Guide to Early Iron Age Antiquities 1925, fig. 82; for similar examples; recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme, reference FAKL-38D115. 377 grams, 11 cm. (4 1/4"). Found Middleham, North Yorkshire, UK, in 2010. The PAS entry includes the following text: This object is one of a small number of socketed axes made from wrought iron. While the form is relatively easy to cast in a two-part mould and a clay/sand core to form its hollow socket it would be very difficult to produce as a forging. Iron socketed axes were rapidly replaced by axes in which the haft passes through an eye, the type that remains in use today. This axe must, therefore, represent the transition from bronze to iron. Parallels exist for iron socketed axes with examples from Walthamstow, Essex (Smith 1925, Fig. 82) and Cold Kitchen Hill, Wilts (Cunliffe 1975, p 268, Fig. 14:2 5) neither of which is quite like this find although the latter appears to share the curved loop side and straight back seen on the Middleham axe. A better parallel was found during excavations at Fiskerton, Lincolnshire. This is a find of note and has been designated as of national importance.Fine conditon, treated and stable. Excessively rare.Starting Price: £200
Saxon Gilt-Bronze Saucer Brooch Pair6th century AD A matched pair of saucer brooches each with central boss and four recurved legs within a raised rim; outside, a band of zigzags and raised chamfered rim; the rim broad and everted; to the reverse, catchplate and ferrous lump from the pin. Cf. MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) items 2.36, 2.37, 2.38. 31 grams, 33-34 mm. (1 1/4"). From an old Canadian collection. Saucer brooches are a Saxon dress accessory, normally worn by females in pairs at the shoulders to fasten a peplos-style dress. The present design with central running-legs motif is found on several examples from Oxfordshire (Cassington, Abingdon, Brighthampton) in the Asmolean Museum.[2]Very fine condition. Very rare as a matched pair.Starting Price: £2000
Carolingian Silver-Gilt Horse Harness Mount800-888 AD A superb chip carved mount, D-shaped with a narrow neck and ring; the body concave with three floral motifs, strapwork between; above the neck a pierced chip-carved plate; to the reverse two attachment loops. 14 grams, 65 mm. (2 1/4"). Private collection, Nottinghamshire, UK; acquired late 1980`s-early 1990`s. Extremely fine condition. Very rare.Starting Price: £3000
Viking Silver Petersen`s Type S Sword PommelLate 10th-early 11th century AD A cast sword pommel formed with three bulbous lobes and two flared finials, of Petersen`s Type S. Cf. the example from Sandbu, Vaage, Norway in Peirce, I. Swords of the Viking Age, item C237, p.102-3. 66 grams, 48 mm. (2"). Tucker collection, Buckinghamshire, UK; formed in the 1980`s. Fine condition. Very rare in silver.Starting Price: £700
Viking Silver Bird Brooch10th-11th century AD A cast brooch in the form of a stylised bird with punched-point lines to the tail, body and neck, scrolls to the body and tail; transverse bands at neck and rump; below, a pierced lug for the attachment of a chain; to the reverse, solder scars indicating where the pin-lug and catchplate were attached, pin lost in antiquity. 5.46 grams, 29 mm. (1 1/4"). Ex Phillips collection, UK. Very fine condition. Very rare.Starting Price: £300
Anglo-Saxon Bronze Brooch with Iron Pin5th century AD An unusual early brooch, styled after a late Roman plate brooch, the plate roughly triangular in shape; the lower third with scalloped edges and five punched roundels; above, five radiating points, the central point larger, with pronounced central ridge; to the reverse, the iron spring and pin present. 12 grams, 37 mm. (1 1/2"). Ex David Winter collection; with a museum report copy. [No Reserve]Fine condition, the pin present but corroded. Very rare.Starting Price: £5
Medieval Bronze Pope Urban V Papal Office Seal Matrix Attributable to Cardinal Adam Easton1362-1370 AD An important vesica seal matrix with complex design comprising a central agnus dei (Lamb of God) and Holy Grail within a circular border; male heads above and below, the upper tonsured and probably a portrait of Urban; the lower of a bearded saint, likely to be St Peter and with foliage within the spandrels; the circular panel with Gothic legend `agnus:dei:qvitollis peccati mundi` (Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world) and inside `urbanis:quintus` (Urban the Fifth) and to the outer band `sancta:aualtane:martris. [foliage] et: cap:ila:beate:marie:de:scala:celi:` (Holy Mary, blessed, hallowed in heaven with the martyrs); the reverse with solder showing that a long rib and suspension was originally fitted. 31 grams, 65 mm. (2 1/2"). Ex Winterton collection, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK; recorded by Doncaster Museum and the British Museum (reference number P&E /65/03/JPR, 9th January 2004) and seen by the British Library; found near Gainsborough, Nottinghamshire, UK, 2003. Cardinal Adam Easton (born uncertain, died Rome, 1397/8, of `old age`) was almost certainly of peasant birth from Easton, Norfolk and was taken in and educated by the church; his potential was recognised and he later joined the Benedictine monastery attached to Norwich Cathedral. He rose in the church becoming the Benedictine proctor at Avignon, taking the position of his friend Thomas Brynton and to become a cardinal and the most important cleric in the church, second only to Pope Urban V (himself a former Benedictine). He is recorded as having travelled between the papal palace at Avignon and England, delivering a letter from Urban to Edward III telling the English King to restrain the activities of his men at arms in Italy and it is likely that he would have been involved in Urban`s quarrel with Edward III of England over the payment of the annual tribute (dating back to King John) which occasioned the antipapal polemics of John Wyclif. He is also known to have travelled in England with his association with Simon Langham. His tomb, which once bore the inscription Skilled in all things, renowned father Adam. The great theologian, who was cardinal of England, which was his fatherland, the title of St Cecilia was given to him. He died and ascended to heaven in the year 1397, in the month of September can still be found in the Church of St Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome. Pope Urban V (born 1310, died 19 December 1370), born William de Grimoard, reigned as Pope from 1362 to 1370. In September 1362, Abbot William arrived in Avignon, returning from Naples, where he had been sent by Pope Innocent IV as papal legate, only to learn that the pope had died. At that time, a conclave was already being held to elect a successor to the recently-deceased pope. In a surprise move, on the 28th of that month he himself was elected Pope. He then took the name of Urban, the fifth pope with that name to rule the Church. He was not even a bishop at the time of his election, and had to be consecrated as one before his coronation. This was done on 6th November by Cardinal Andouin Aubert, the nephew of his predecessor. He served as the sixth pope in the Avignon Papacy. Urban boarded a ship at Corneto heading for France on 5th September 1370, Avignon on the 24th of the same month. A few days later he fell severely ill. Feeling his death approaching, he asked that he might be moved from the Papal Palace to the nearby residence of his brother, Angel, whom he had made a cardinal, that he might be close to those he loved. He died there on 19 December 1370. The seal matrix can be firmly dated to the papacy of Urban V (1362-1370 AD) as it bears his name. It is the seal of a papal office holder; a man of high position close to the Pope. It is likely to be the seal used by Cardinal Adam Easton, lost in England during his travels between Avignon and the English court and church; most probably as a result of the reverse rib, which would have provided a suspension loop by which it could be worn or secured, becoming accidentally detached.Extremely fine condition, professionally cleaned. Excessively rare and important.Starting Price: £1500
Medieval Bronze St. Victor of Marseilles Inscriptional Priory Seal13th-14th century AD A vesica-shaped ecclesiastical seal matrix with raised loop to reverse, depicting the matyred Saint Victor of Marseilles, holding a palm branch, flanked by foliate motifs; inscribed `PRIORIE ET CONVENTVS MONASTERII SCE VICTORIE` (`The Priory and Convent of St. Victor`), legend. Possibly associated with the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris, founded in 1113 by William of Champeaux, archdeacon of Notre-Dame de Paris. 35 grams, 52 mm. (2"). From an important Mayfair, London, UK collection, acquired in the 1990`s; inventory no.560. Extremely fine condition. Rare.Starting Price: £1800
Medieval Silver-Gilt `Believe Me` Privi Seal Matrix14th-15th century AD A seal matrix cap, the face embossed with an eagle within a roundel, and the Latin phase `CREDI MICI` (`Believe Me`); to the exterior, the letters `MAR- - REL` 1.02 grams, 12 mm. (1/2"). Acquired from a London gallery in 1990. Some loss to outer edge including text. Rare.Starting Price: £1000
Medieval Silver-Gilt Cruciform Pendant Thine Is The Power Throughout Endless Ages, O Lord14th-15th century AD A cruciform pendant with cabochon-cut amethyst to the centre, rounded knops with textured detailing to the end of each arm, integral loop for suspension; to the reverse, the name HENRI inscribed on the vertical axis, the acronym AGLA horizontally, a Maltese cross to the centre. 2.94 grams, 33 mm. (1 1/2"). UK art market, acquired prior to 1985. The acronym AGLA stands for the Hebrew phrase Atah gebur le-ohanim Adonai, meaning Thine Is The Power Throughout Endless Ages, O Lord; it was used particularly in exorcisms, healing and divination, and was associated with Rosicrucianism.Very fine condition. Excessively rare.Starting Price: £850
Loading...
