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Lot 38
A German lithographed and painted tinplate mail coach, with yellow, red and blue carriage, two dappled grey horses and driver, presented in a glass fronted wooden box with painted scene and mile stone painted with the words ‘In memory of our Little May - Her last plaything, Born May 10th 98, Departed April 11th 1904’ —15¾in. (40cm.) width of case
Lot 116
A 19th Century jade Pendant, with Arabic text, the shaped stone with detailed lettering, transcribed "In the Name of the Most Merciful compassionate God, O'Muhammad - O God.. etc.," approx. 6.5cms w x 4.5cms h (2 1/2" x 1 3/4") together with manuscript letter and transcription relating to same. (3)
Lot 125
A rare 19th Century Maori Pounamu green stone Blade, approx. 18cms (7")l x 8cms (3 1/4") w at the top. (1)Provenance: Gifted to Rev. Dr. T.W. Croke, whilst Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand (1870 - 1874), and by tradition said to be used by a Maori Chief, subsequently gifted by descent to present vendor.
Lot 161
3rd century AD. A substantial gold finger ring with D-section hoop, pierced with volute scrolls and tendrils, palmettes to the shoulders, the plaque lentoid in plan with similar openwork ornament, central cell with inset nicolo gemstone of an eagle tearing at the body of a hare. Cf. Chadour, A.B. Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 351 for type, 410 for design. 32 grams, 34mm overall, 23.29x17.93mm internal diameter (approximate size British P, USA 7 1/2, Europe 16.23, Japan 15) (1 1/3"). From an old family collection formed between 1890 and 1910, thence by descent to the present owner; Accompanied by scholarly note TL 005252 from Dr Ron Bonewitz. The substantial size and weight of the ring and the extremely high quality nicolo stone, with the military symbolism of an eagle attacking a hare, alludes to the power and might of Rome; it could be that the ring was an imperial gift to an extremely high ranking Roman officer, such as a legate, commanding one or more legions as a reward in recognition of his services to the Empire. Very fine condition.
Lot 200
7th-9th century AD. A bronze oil lamp with globular heart-shaped body and projecting nozzle with wide wick hole; oil hole to the back with scallop shell lid hinged to the base of a large equal-armed cross with ring handle to the back; pedestal ring to the base, with two-stage graduated column and large rectangular base. Cf. Bailey, D.M. A Catalogue of the Lamps in the British Museum. IV. Lamps of Metal and Stone and Lampstands, London, 1988, item Q3800. 3.7 kg, pedestal: 27.5 x 14cm (1 3/4"). Ex an important Dutch collection; acquired on the European art market in the 1970s. [3] Very fine condition.
Lot 239
23rd century BC. A rhyolite cylinder seal, perforated down the centre and with contest scene between male figures and lions; accompanied by a typed and signed scholarly note issued by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder seal of green stone. A contest scene of two symmetrically placed pairs is shown: a hero in short kilt is grappling with a rearing bovine, and a hero in kilt and flat cap grappling with rearing lion. This is an Akkadian seal, from Mesopotamia or west Iran, c. 2300-2200 B.C. It is in fine condition.' 11 grams, 26mm (1"). Property of a West Yorkshire collector; formerly from a London, UK, collection; formed in the 1980s; accompanied by an original W.G. Lambert scholarly note. Accompanied by a museum-quality impression. Very fine condition.
Lot 241
19th century BC. A carved limestone cylinder seal with three figures and cuneiform text; accompanied by a museum-quality impression and 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 Cream Stone, 28 x 15 mm. On the right is seated deity on a padded stool, with long beard, wearing a hat with deep brim and a long robe to the feet. One hand is held at the waist, the other is raised with a small cup in it. Before him stands a worshipper, in a similar long robe, but bare-headed, and with the hands clasped at the waist. Behind him is a Lamma goddess, with horned tiara, long flounced robe, and holding up both hands in a gesture of adoration. There is a lunar crescent in the sky. A two-line cuneiform inscription names the seal owner: Bu-zi-ia Buziya / dumu ur-dmes son of Ur-Mes. This is an Old Babylonian seal, c. 1900-1800 B.C., from southern Mesopotamia. Though the surface of the stone is a little worn, the fine quality of the engraving is still present.' 12 grams, 28mm (1"). Property of a West Yorkshire collector; formerly property of a North London collector; acquired in the 1970s; accompanied by an original W.G. Lambert scholarly note. This lot is part of a single collection of cylinder seals which were examined in the 1980s by Professor Lambert and most are accompanied by his own detailed notes; the collection has recently been reviewed by Dr. Ronald Bonewitz. Accompanied by a museum-quality impression. Fair condition. Rare.
![9th-8th century BC. A rectangular stone funerary stele with Phoenician inscription 'MLK ?L? / BN MLK?Z / R[Y]BN' (Melek ?illè](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/2b50c372-9ef9-470f-ac96-aae700d90b0f/155e5f8d-2c68-431e-9f09-aae700db5381/468x382.jpg)
Lot 34
9th-8th century BC. A rectangular stone funerary stele with Phoenician inscription 'MLK ?L? / BN MLK?Z / R[Y]BN' (Melek ?illès Ben Melek ?Uzrlyya Ben [...] 'King Hilles son of King ?Uzriyya'); Nassib Sabbagh writes 'Very important and unique Phoenician inscribed funerary stele mentioning two kings ... This stele has been seen and photographed by Prof. René Lemaire of the Sorbonne. It had been seen and studied by Prof. McCarter of Baltimore Uni.' 7.8 kg, 32cm (12 1/2"). Property of a gentleman; from a Mayfair, London, UK, gallery; accompanied by a hand written scholarly note with translation signed by Nassib Al Sabbagh dated 12 December 1996. Fine condition.
Lot 35
9th-8th century BC. A rectangular stone funerary stele with Phoenician inscription 'LBN?ZZ' (for Ben ?Azizu'); Nassib al Sabbagh writes 'Aziz is a common Semitic name which denotes power and strength. It is one of the adjectives of Allah and survives extensively in the name Abdul ?Aziz (slave of the Almighty"). 8.2 kg, 33cm (13"). Property of a gentleman; from a Mayfair, London, UK, gallery; accompanied by a scholarly note with translation signed by Nassib Al Sabbagh dated 13 December 1996. Fine condition.
Lot 36
9th-8th century BC. A rectangular stone funerary stele with Phoenician inscription '?AMTNT / NT SM' (?Amat Tan?t B?t Sem? 'the maid slave of Tanit, daughter of Semu'"). 5.6 kg, 34.5cm (13 1/2"). Property of a gentleman; from a Mayfair, London, UK, gallery; accompanied by an old hand written scholarly note with translation. Fine condition.
Lot 419
Late 2nd-early 3rd century AD. A Roman bronze sport helmet of 'Pfrondorf Type' (type F of the Robinson classification of Roman cavalry Sport Helmets, Robinson, 1975, pls.367-375, pp. 126-127), with female features, possibly representing a gorgon (Medusa), comprising a two-part helmet with a back plate, the face piece originally with a removable inner mask; the skull embossed with stylised representations of hair along the sides and collected at the lower centre of the back to a chignon, the centre decorated by a blue enamel stone; on the upper part of the skull a two-headed snake, whose wide body is decorated with scales chiselled on the surface, long neck protruding on the two sides of the skull until the brow; the edge of the skull is decorated by punched triangles and a line representing the crown of the hair around the face; a small flat neck guard; a hinge is fastened through a pin the skull to the mask allowing it to be raised; the T-opening for the face was not always present in this type of helmet. See Robinson, R., The Armour of Imperial Rome, New York, 1975; Garbsch, J., Römische Paraderustüngen, München, 1979; Born, H.,Junkelmann M., Römische Kampf-und Turnierrüstungen, Band VI, Sammlung Axel Guttmann, Mainz,1997; D'Amato R., A.Negin, Decorated Roman Armour, London, 2017; D'Amato R., A.Negin, Roman Heavy Cavalry (1), Cataphractarii and Clibanarii, 1st century BC-5th century AD, Oxford, 2018; this mask helmet belongs to the category of Roman Mask Helmets employed in the sportive games, acting also as military training, of the so called Hyppika Gymnasia described by Arrian of Nicomedia in his Taktika, written down during the age of the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), however, these kind of very simplified masks were often used in battle as well, especially by the heavy cavalry of the catafractarii (D'Amato-Negin, 2018, p.30,36,38-40), the distinguishing features of this type of masked helmet, diffused in the Roman Army since the Late Antonine Age (second half of second century AD) is the removable central area of the mask covering eyes, nose and mouth and the division of the helmet in two parts on the line of the ears; the Pfrondorf specimen (Garbsch,1979, pl.26; Born-Junkelmann,1997, p.50; D'Amato-Negin, 2017, fig.168 a-b), in Stuttgart Museum, which gives the name to the typology, is the most complete and known of such specimens; three parts helmets are known from Danubian sites, like Ostrov (Romania, Robinson, 1975, pls. 370-373; Garbsch, 1979, pl.27), from the German Limes (Oberflorshtadt, Robinson, 1975, fig.129, p.108, D'Amato-Negin, 2017, fig.172c, p.169) and a magnificent specimen, preserved only in the skull, from the collection Axel Guttmann is kept at the Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins (D'Amato-Negin, 2017, fig.172a, p.169); a further splendid specimen, the mask only preserved, is kept in a large private European collection (D'Amato-Negin, 2017, fig.180, p.177"). 2.1 kg total including stand, 27cm (10 1/2"). From an important East Anglian collection of arms and armour; formerly in a Dutch private collection since the 1990s; previously in a Swiss family collection since before 1980; accompanied by a metallurgic analytical report, written by metallurgist Dr. Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, report number 144723/HM1364; and an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no. 144723-10011. This type of helmet is very rare in such fine condition. Helmets with a facial cut-out have often the female characteristic of Medusa, considering the psychological impact that this creature, with the power to transform men to stone. The apotropaic character of such divinity, inspiring terror on the enemies and confidence to the wearer, was part of the interpenetration of the divine world inside the human world, considered essential for the men who risked their life daily, who needed to feel the protection of the divine beings on the battlefield, or in the travel to the underworld. The main problem of these helmets with face attachment and three-part cutout for eyes, nose and mouth, is the question of the presence of the inner mask. Separate inner masks in bronze are known, some of them silvered (Robinson, 1975, pl.374, p.127, from Stadtpark Mainz), or with slender brows and finely pierced rings in the eye-opening (Robinson, 1975, pl.37,5 p.127, from Weisenberg"). There is no way of ascertaining whether or not our specimen was equipped with an inner mask, though it would appear to be quite possible that it was not, as there are no traces of holes in the point where, in the mask helmets of this typology, the turning pin for the attachment of the mask is usually visible. This suggest that our mask was conceived and used for a more practical use on the battlefield, without excluding its possible employment for the tournaments and the Hyppika Gymnasia. Very fine condition, some restoration. Extremely rare in this condition.
Lot 459
Circa 1340 AD. A Western medieval cervelliere's or early bascinet skull in iron, probably Italian, the dome bowl following the shape of the skull, narrower on the front and wider at the occipital bone; the protection of the area is wider than in the usual cervelliere, and all around the rim of the helmet the fastening holes to the inner felt or leather lining, or the sewing to a textile cap, are visible. See Boccia G.L., Rossi F., Morin M., Armi e Armature Lombarde, Milano, 1980; Nicolle, D., Italian Medieval Armies, 1300-1500, London, 1983; Vignola, M., I reperti metallici del castello superiore di Attimis, in Quaderni Friulani,di Archeologia, XIII, 2003, pp.63-81; Scalini, M., A bon droyt, Spade di uomini liberi, cavalieri e Santi/Epées d'hommes libres, chevaliers et saints, Milano, 2007. 881 grams, 22cm (8 1/2"). From an important private family collection of arms and armour; acquired on the European art market in the 1980s, and thence by descent; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato. The cervelliere was a very common skull protection since the 13th century Italy, made of metal and shaped like a simple skull. It (from Latin cervellerium, cerebrarium, cerebrerium or cerebotarium) was a helmet basic typology developed in Middle Ages. It was made of a single piece of cup-shaped metal covering the top of the skull and could be worn over or under the hauberk and other typologies of heavier helmets. Over time, the cervelliere experienced several evolutions. Many helmets became increasingly pointed and the back of the skull cap elongated to cover the neck, thus developing into the bascinet. The skull protection of our specimen has parallels with the helmets worn by the warriors represented in the killing of the innocents painted in the Church of Saint'Abbondio, Como, dated at 1340 AD (Boccia, Rossi, Morin, fig.10 pp.30-31), which Boccia correctly classified like cervelliere. This specimen is therefore still a cervelliere, or eventually an early form of bascinet of which the cervelliere was the ancestor, although this specimen begins the transformation of the simple skull in the wider bowl that, fitted with a peak, will give origin to the bascinet. Its conformation distinguishes it from the various similar head protections classified as bascinet in the 15th century. The statement that we are still dealing with a cervelliere is based on the morphological data of the object. The shape, above all, is markedly hemispherical, tightening towards the front and falling slightly on the nape. A similar skull is visible on the cerviellere found in the castle of Attimis (Italy, Trentino Alto-Adige), recently published by Vignola (Vignola, 2003, pp.66 ff."). Differently from the usual cervelliere, the bowl shows side protections, and the sides are protecting also the ears, which is not the characteristic of the usual cervelliere. The type then turned out to define in anatomical way and adherent to the skull. Another characteristic trend is the series of holes visible all along the lower edge, from front to the neck. Correctly Vignola suggested, by analysing the specimen of Attimis, that such parallel holes were destined to receive the sewing, to fasten the helmet with a falsata (padded or quilted headgear"). The presence of similar holes in the other helmets of the same category was absolutely fundamental to allow a similar helmet to be worn, as well as to absorb the trauma of a stroke directed towards the plain surface of the cervelliere skull. The falsata had probability the possibility to be fitted with stripes for the protection of the nape, and of thongs to fasten the helmet under chin, too. Moreover, a cap was sometimes worn over the helmet, forming an external textile headgear prolonged over the ears (Nicolle, 1983, pl.B2), often visible in the iconography of the period and considered like a civilian cap by many art historians not particularly skilled in the military equipment study. Most probably our specimen is from a battlefield or a river find. The piece is in good condition and considering the rarity a high start price is expected. Under the profile of the chronology such protections for the head had a long life, from 13th until 16th century, however, conforming with the date proposed by Vignola for the piece of Attimis, the specific morphology of the helmet found precise elements of comparison with the 14th century iconography. By looking at the helmet from the sides, it shows a typical gleaning towards the lower edge, raising to the brow part. This is visible on many cervelliere and bascinets of the 14th century, on the prototypes visible in the so-called biadaiolo (code of the mid-14th century) of the Medicean Laurentian Library in Florence, in the already quoted frescoes of Saint Abbondius and even in some cervelliere represented in the Manesse Code. The ancient sources call such type of objects bascinet, having the shape of a basin or basin without lip, although the shape of the helmet that is modernly designated with this name, has a rather ogival shape as for the head gears of the second half of the fourteenth century. Cervelliere or early bascinets like our specimen, may be dated to the first half of the 14th century, but the formal adherence to the progression of the skull makes it difficult to secure a chronological staggering. However, an artifact examined by Scalini, datable to 1330, from Perugia, shows protective side parts like this specimen, which descend to protect the ears, and allowed also a more comfortable overlap to the knitted shirt. This specimen was used to draw water from a well, until that is was not recognised for its importance. (Scalini, 2007, pp.106-107"). Anecdotally, medieval literature credits the invention of the cervellière to astrologer Michael Scot (Michele Scoto) in 1223. This history is not seriously entertained by most scholars, but in the Chronicon Nonantulanum is recorded that the astrologer devised the iron-plate cap shortly before his own predicted death, which he still inevitably met when a stone weighing two ounces fell on his protected head. Fine condition. Extremely rare.
Lot 462
10th - mid 11th century AD. An iron sword with narrow two-edged blade, gently tapering profile with shallow tip, no appreciable fuller, parallel-sided lower guard, short tang and 'tea-cosy' pommel, tiny and yet more precisely formed, being of 'tea-cosy' type transitional to a 'brazil nut' style pommel; the acutely tapered line of the blade makes the blade very elegant, although the fuller, probably existing ab origo, is practically no more visible; the pommel is in excellent state of preservation with some small areas of light pitting; the hilt is plain, carrying no form of decoration; the cross-guard is simply a gently tapering bar of iron, crudely pierced to take the long and robust tang; battle signs visible on the sides, however the cutting ends remain well defined, especially towards the proximal end of the blade, all the components, considered as a whole, create an effect of harmony, balance and quality. See Oakeshott, E., The Sword in the Age of the Chivalry, London,1964 (1994); Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; cf. Oakeshott, E. Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991, item X9 (Glasgow Museum"). 891 grams, 91.5cm (36"). From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the 1960s; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato.This sword was produced in the workshops of the Holy Roman Empire, with good parallels with various sword published by Peirce (2002, cat. NM2033.1, pp.122-123; NM 11840, pp.132-133"). Especially the sword from Vammala (Finland), in the Suomen Kansallismuseo in Helsinki, shows a great similarity with our model. This latter is however inscribed, like the majority of swords of this category, unlike the current example. The type Xa was in use for a much longer period than the Type XI cavalry swords, whilst the thinner fuller may at first glance appear insignificant - in reality, it marked a serious departure point from the Viking era swords, and were used by late period Vikings, Normans, Anglo-Saxons, Crusaders and Templars, before eventually falling out of favour in the 14th century, when this type of swords began to be quite ineffective against the increasing use of plate armour on the battlefield. On the Bayeux tapestry, there is a depiction of William the Conqueror with a sword of type Xa having a 'tea cosy' pommel, sign of the great diffusion of such kind of sword among the Normans. It is evident that this type was not originally Nordic (in sense of a Viking production), even if it was forged here at home. Besides, it was found in such large quantity, and it was plain in its form. It did exist not only over the whole of Norden but over the whole of Central Europe. It was a common Germanic type in Central and Northern Europe created during the couple of centuries preceding the Crusades, and having a great success until the end of these. Most probably our specimen is from a battlefield, a river or from a grave. The piece is in excellent condition notwithstanding the corrosions of the blade, where signs of battlefield are visible. Originally Oakeshott Type Xa swords were classified by him in the category type XI, but later revised as Oakeshott felt that they deserved their own subcategory, as they were too close to type X to fit within the Type XI category, although the narrower and deeper fuller could not be ignored. However, it was not just the fuller that guided his decision, but the placement of such swords in their historical context, as all existing examples dated from the 11th to the 14th century, while type X started and finished two centuries earlier, from the 9th to the 12th centuries. Like the parent group type X, these were a transitional sword - similar in shape and style to the Viking Age swords that it evolved from - and a stepping stone to the Type XI cavalry swords, which shared the same thin fuller, but had longer, more slender blades better suited to mounted combat. The type Xa presents a broad, flat blade of medium length (average 31) with a fuller running the entire length and fading out an inch or so from the point, which is sometimes acute but more often rounded. The fuller is generally very wide and shallow, but in some cases may be narrower (about 1/3 of the blade's width) and more clearly defined; a short grip, of the same average length (3¾) as the Viking swords. The tang is usually very flat and broad, tapering sharply towards the pommel. The sturdy massive tang provided tremendous strength to the hilt of these long double weapons. The cross - generally of square section, about 7 to 8long, tapering towards the tips, in rare cases curved - is narrower and longer than the more usual Viking kind—though the Vikings used it, calling it 'Gaddhjalt' (spike-hilt) because of its spike-like shape. The pommel is commonly of one of the Brazil-nut forms, but may be of disc form like in this case. The sword appears in two variants, of which the one here presented is the most later and most common. The older variant has a taller and slimmer pommel, while the cross-guard is thicker in profile and slightly curved. The later and more common of the two variants has a lower and thicker pommel and a less thick but longer cross, which can reach even 18 cm of length. The cross-section of the hilt is here evenly wide, with rounded ends, and not cut sharply across, which is otherwise usual with type M. The first group has upper hilts that can reach a length of 7.8 cm. and a height of 5.1 cm. The second group has pommels with a length between 5.0cm and 6.5cm, the height is from 2.7cm - 3.5cm. The lower guard varies in length between 10.7cm to an entire 17.7cm. The height in the first group is up to 2.0cm and in the second group from 0.7cm to 1.4cm. I know 49 specimens of this type. Of those, the later variant is decidedly the most usual. At the time of the Petersen's book in 1919, of the first group there were namely only nine specimens, and 40 specimens of the second group. Of 47 blades identified by Oakeshott, 45 were double-edged and only two single-edged, both from the pronounced 'single-edged' Vestland. Fine condition.
Lot 477
Circa 1330 AD. A heavy iron war mace, with hexagonal prismatic head surmounted by an iron button, the faces of the hexagon divided by lines preserving traces of gilding; mounted upon an iron staff with traces of silver, characterised by a ring of entanglement at the top and three concentric circles below. See ??????? ?.?. ???????-????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? XIV - ?????? XV ??. // ??????????? ????? ? ??????? ? ???????? ????? ??????, ?., 1983; Head, 1984, Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 2, Worthing, 1984; Nicolle, D. Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350, Islam, Eastern Europe and Asia, London 1999; Bashir, M. (ed.), The Arts of the Muslim Knight, The Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection, Milan, 2008. 1.5 kg, 45.5cm (18"). From an important private family collection of arms and armour; acquired on the European art market in the 1980s, and thence by descent; believed originally from Eastern Europe; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato. The war mace belongs to the group of the eastern war maces used by the Mongol armies in 13th century. In particular it is an interesting parallel to a mace published by Gorelik (1983, pl.27, n.67), having the same hexagonal prismatic shape, dated at the 13th century AD. It is also the same kind of mace that was brandished by the Il-Kh?nid Persian-Mongol warriors (scene of the battle of Ardashir and Artavan) in the very famous manuscript Demotte Sh?hn?mah, made in ?dharbayj?n in about 1335 AD (Nicolle, 1999, figs.632J"). The mace, perhaps because of its ancient associations, acquired a legendary quality, second only to the swords in the Islamic world, and therefore also of the Ilkhanid Turco-Mongol warlike state, that with the Sultan Ghazan adhered to the Islam in 1295 AD. Amongst Mongols and Turkish warriors, the mace became a symbol of office, and maces, gilded like this one, played a role in ceremonies which significance was a mixture of religious and military elements. From a military point of view, it was an extremely effective weapon in close combat, particularly from horseback against an armoured opponent, where a heavy mace could easily damage even the thickest steel armour and crash heads and helmets at the same time (Bashir, 2008, p.235"). The Ilkhanid Empire was originally part of the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan, its Persian branch created by Hulegu, grandson of Genghis Khan himself. Settled in Persia, the Mongols fostered the growth of cosmopolitan cities with rich courts and wealthy patrons, who encouraged the arts to flourish. At the death of Kublai Khan the Ilkhanid Khanate was de facto independent, until his dissolution in 1335 AD. The core of its army were the powerful armoured cavalrymen, of Mongol, Turkish and Iranian origin, covered with Khuyagh armour, a lamellar or laminated corselet, mainly in iron, sometimes in bronze; they wore hemispherical helmets with reinforced brow, a plume tube or a spike, and mail, lamellar or leather aventail, round shields and offensive weapons like sabres, bow and arrows and naturally war maces (Heath, 1984, pp.114-115"). Most probably our specimen is from an excavation. The piece is very rare and is in excellent condition. The mace is a type of short-arms, a weapon of impact-crushing action, consisting of a wooden or metal handle (rod) and a spherical pommel (head), which can be smooth or studded with spikes. The mace is one of the oldest types of edged weapons, a direct heir to the club, which began to be used in the Stone Age. It became widespread in the late Middle Ages, which was due to the excellent 'armour-piercing' qualities of this weapon. The mace was great for breaking through heavy armour and helmets. The heads of some maces were huge. Mace has several significant advantages over bladed weapons. Firstly, a mace (like a hammer) never got stuck in enemy armour or shield, which often happened with a sword or a spear. With the help of maces, it was possible to completely deprive the enemy of the shield, inflicting several strong blows on it. In this case, either the shield broke, or its owner received a fracture of the limb. You can also add that the blows of the mace almost never slide off. Secondly, you can learn to use a mace much faster than a sword. In addition, these weapons were relatively cheap and almost 'unkillable'. The mace has a significant advantage in comparison with the war hammer: the enemy can be beaten with either side of the weapon. The mace was an essential weapon according the Islamic Fur?s?yah during close combat, and some military treatises are devoted to this weapon (for example, the 'Kit?b Ma?rifat La?b al-Dabb?s f? Awq?t al-?ur?b wa-al-?ir?? ?alá-al-Khayl,' held in Paris, BNF MS Ar. 2830 and BNF MS Ar. 6604; Istanbul, Ayasofya MS 3186; on the fur?s?yah treatises dealing with the art of the mace, see also al-Sarraf, 'Mamluk Fur?s?yah Literature and Its Antecedents'"). The most common name for the club/mace was the Persian 'gurz' and its derivatives: garz, horz and gargaz. The written sources describe four methods of conducting battle: throwing at an enemy from a long distance: close combat at a distance proportioned to the length of the club; rotation of the mace when a warrior was surrounded by enemies; defeating the enemy in front of you. The maces or clubs with huge heads and relatively short poles were suitable for throwing. Our mace belongs to a simplified form of maces, a sort of cube-shaped tops with six cut corners transforming it in hexagon (type II"). All the specimens are in iron and date back to the 12th–14th centuries. A very widespread category of finds is made up of type II maces, mainly found in the excavations of the Southern Russian cities that were destroyed during the Tatar-Mongol invasion. They were also found in Novgorod, Moscow, and in the peasant Kostroma barrows. Usually, maces were considered to belong to the nobility, but the simpler specimens probably were widely available as weapons for ordinary soldiers, citizens and peasants. This is also supported by the simplicity and sometimes carelessness in the decoration of the maces themselves. Fine condition.
Lot 571
9th-11th century AD. A silver sleeve with ropework borders to each face, flat-section loop above; inset small flint leaf-shaped blade with serrated edges. See Evans, J. The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, London, 1897, p.365; Korshun, V.E. Yazcheskye Priveski Drevnei Rusi X-XIV Vekov, volume I, Moscow, 2012, item A.2.03. 2.83 grams, 31mm (1 1/4"). Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990. Elf-arrows or elf-shot derived their name from the folklore belief that the arrows fell from the sky, and were used by the elves to kill cattle and inflict elf-shot on human beings. Elf-arrows were sometimes worn as amulets, occasionally set in silver, as a charm against witchcraft. [No Reserve] Fine condition.
Lot 77
1st-2nd century AD. A silver rectangular plaque with folded edges and fixing holes, having a parcel-gilt repoussé inscription 'LEG/ XII/ FVL' for Legio duodecima Fulminata, decorated with the embossed thunderbolts of Jupiter, composed from a turtled elongated body, with a central boss, and eight fulgures (lightning) on the sides, holes for fastening through small rivets to its borders. See Wellbeloved, C. ‘Observations on a Roman Inscription, lately discovered in York’ Yorkshire Philosophical Society, Proceedings 1, 1855, pp. 282-286; Home, G. Roman York: The Legionary Headquarters and Colonia of Eboracum; London, 1924; D'Amato, R., Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier, London, 2009; Töpfer K. M., Signa Militaria, Die römischen Feldzeichen in der Republik und im Prinzipat, Mainz, 2011; D'Amato R., Roman Standards and standard-bearers, London, 2018. 670 grams, 35.5cm (14"). From the collection of a European lady; formerly in the Franculovic family collection, Vienna, Austria, thence by descent; previously acquired by her father-in-law in Munich, Germany, in the 1970s, directly from the private collection of Marcus Hollersberger; accompanied by a metallurgic analytical report, written by metallurgist Dr. Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, and an academic report by Roman military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no. 141039-10010. Metallic appliqués of the Jupiter lights and thunderbolts (fulgures) were a very common device applied on the Imperial Roman shields, also among the milites Gregarii of a particular legion (D’Amato, 2009, p.107 figs. 6, 28, 58, 59, 106, 111, 112, 121"). The milites of the Legio XII Fulminata were recognized, for instance, with all probability, at least at the beginning, by the thunderbolts embossed on their shields. A very interesting description of it is given by the poet Valerius Flaccus, in his Argonautica: “…all the phalanx wears embossed on the shield the Jupiter device, and the diverged fires of the trident-shaped (trifida) thunderbolts and You, Roman soldier, are not the first to wear on the shields the rays and the shining wings of the flashing thunderbolt… It is clear the reference to a metallic appliqué in gold and silver, which has got a further confirmation in the passage of Vergil where it is described the shield of Aeneas (Vergil, Aen.,VIII, 424-430"). Interestingly, the Romans linked the flamboyant character of the fulmen (thunderbolt) with the phalarica, the flaming spear used by the Iberian warriors, (Verg., Aen., IX, 705-706"). Also the malleolus, i.e. the double wooden hasta, was compared to the bifida fulgur, i.e. the double light of the thunderbolt. The Legio XII Fulminata (the lightening Legion) was created by Caius Julius Caesar in 58 BC and was active until the early 5th century, patrolling at that time the Euphrates Borders with the Sassanian Persian Empire, near Melitene (today Malatya"). Its emblem was the fulgur, which was widely used on the objects and the pertinences of the Legio. During the first two centuries of the Christian Era the Legio was located in Syria, Cappadocia and Armenia, and participated to the Jewish war between 66 and 70 AD, to be sent after the suppression of the revolt on the Euphrates Border. Cappadocia and Armenia were the main places of staying of the Legio, except for the period of the Marcomannic Wars (167-189 AD), when it operated on the Danube against the Germans. Metallic plates with the name and the symbol of the legio engraved were widely employed in legionary camps, for different uses. The length of the plate (about 35 cm) could be compared with that of the silver plate of the signum (standard) of the COHORS VII RAETORUM, from the military camp of Niederbieber, preserved only for a half and measuring 16,2 cm (Toepfer, 2011, pp.419-420, cat.AR1.3; D’Amato, 2018, p.30"). This plate was originally long about 30 cm. We cannot indeed exclude the possibility that our tabula originally was an application of a military standard. In such case the tabula acted as a label reporting the name of the Legion, and was combined with other decorations of the standard, like tassels, lunulae, phalerae in shape of a patera. Another more simple possibility is that the plate was originally attached on the back of a chariot, fastened to a wooden surface by the small rivets today lost. Again, the plaque could have been exposed in some camp of the XII as signal of pertinences or buildings. Although, without a precise context, it is impossible to understand the original use of the tabula, its dating is easier. The type of letters find correspondence with the inscriptions of the early second century AD, for instance with the very famous stone inscription of the VIIII Legio from York dated 108 AD (Empire of Trajan), on display in the Yorkshire Museum (CIL,VII,241"). Another element of comparison can be the Latin two parts inscription dedicated by the X Legio Fretensis in honour of Hadrian, dated 130 AD, from Jerusalem, adorning a monumental arch dedicated to Hadrian by the 10th Legion stationed in Jerusalem during his visit at Aelia Capitolina in the same year. The comparing of the letters LEG and of the numeral X does not leave doubt on the age of our plaque. If the plate belongs to the early second century, the provenance can be speculated from the Armenian or Cappadocian camps of the legion, which participated at the war of Trajan against the Parthians in 111 AD. Very fine condition, one corner absent and sides worn.
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