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Click here to subscribeLate Period, 664-332 BC.A mixed group of shabtis comprising: one white glazed composition; one blue glazed composition with tripartite wig and false beard; one stone fragment with applied pigment to the tripartite wig, facial features and chest. See Andrews, C. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994 for discussion. 89 grams total, 49-97mm (2 - 3 3/4"). Fair condition.Property of an English gentleman; acquired on the UK art market. [3 No Reserve]
2nd-3rd century AD.A mixed group comprising: a square stone palette with chamfered edges; a bronze chisel with rounded edge; a bronze probe with leaf-shaped blade; a bronze pin with spherical finial; two small spoons, one with twisted shank; two bronze tweezers. 236 grams total, 3.5-20cm (1 1/2 - 8"). Fine condition.Property of a Middlesex gentleman; ex Lennox Gallery, London, UK; in 1995. [8 No Reserve]
3rd-4th century AD. A gold ring with round section hoop, the bezel with a collar supporting a projecting cup with line to the rim; set with an extremely rare chrome chalcedony engraved with the bust of Serapis with bushy beard and modius crown to the top of the head. See Lüle, Çigdem, Non-destructive Gemmological Tests for the Identification of Ancient Gems, in Gems of Heaven, British Museum Research Publication 177 2012 pp.1-3 for information on chrome chalcedony and its use in ancient times. 7.53 grams, 23.78mm overall, 19.88mm internal diameter (approximate ring size British U, USA 10 Europe 22.33 Japan 22) (1"). Very fine condition. A large wearable size. Stone of an extremely rare material. UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. The extremely rare green variety of chalcedony coloured by chromium was only known to the ancients and the Romans, until circa 3rd century AD, when it disappears from history. It is only known from small worked pieces such as beads and intaglios. The source has been recently re-discovered as being from northern Turkey (Anatolia"). Serapis was a hybrid deity combining Egyptian and Greek elements and first appears in the Ptolemaic period. Although there is an account by the Roman historian Tacitus propounding that Serapis originally came from Asia Minor, the land of Egypt itself probably provided the elements for the god. He seems to have originated from the cult of Osarapis, the deified dead bull god that fused the both Osiris and Apis into one. The nature of Osarapis, involving the concepts of life after death and agricultural fecundity, seems to have attracted the early Ptolemies as being the quintessence of the myriad deities of Egypt, and as the aspects most easily fused with Greek gods. The Hellenistic elements in Serapis predominate in his nature and iconography and he has characteristics from Zeus, Dionysus, Aeculapius and Hades, which reflect his role as a sovereign with healing and the underworld; the Ptolemies essentially created a deity that would unite the native Egyptian population, as well as the Greek, and which reflected the multicultural and diverse nature of Alexandria and the Ptolemaic court.
1st-3rd century AD. A mixed medical group comprising: a rectangular stone palette with chamfered sides; a pair of bronze tweezers; a spoon with twisted shank; a spoon with flat bowl, ribbed shank; a leaf-shaped spoon with knop finial; an elongated blade with bulb finial. 146 grams total, 6.5-18.5cm (2 3/4 - 7 1/4"). Fine condition.Property of a London gentleman; formerly in an important European collection. [6]
3rd century AD.A D-section gold hoop with six raised panels to the outer face each with a cross potent and ribbing between, pie-dish bezel with inset oval garnet and central green glass disc. See Chadour, A.B. Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994 items 390 391 for type. 8.16 grams, 26mm overall, 19.65mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 3/4 Europe 21.67 Japan 20) (1"). Extremely fine condition.Property of a private collector; acquired before 1975.Dr Bonewitz notes: 'The setting of another stone - or in this case enamel - within another stone is very rare at this period of history. I have only seen one similar example, and it was not as well done.'
5th-8th century AD. A carved stone oil lamp with conical base, biconvex tubular body with lateral tongue-shaped spout, notched rim to body and spout; incised band to body with ropework beneath, incised keel to spout. 1 kg, 16cm (6 1/4"). Fine condition.Property of an Essex, UK collector; acquired London art market, 1960s-1980s. [No Reserve]
Upper Palaeolithic, 50000-10000 years BP. A knapped handaxe in grey flint, lentoid in section and with a curved edge. Cf. Evans, J. The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain, London, 1897 item 419a. 481 grams, 14.5cm (5 3/4"). Fine condition.Property of a Norwich, UK, collector; acquired 1960s. [No Reserve]
2nd millennium BC. A group of bronze and stone items consisting of; a bronze torc bracelet with the ends on the form of feline heads; a bronze awl with long slender body and point to both ends; a bronze pin with coiled circular end; a thick butted stone axehead. 200 grams total, 5.5-11cm (2 1/4 - 4 1/4"). Fine condition.Property of a Surrey, UK, collector; acquired on the London art market 1990s. [4 No Reserve]
5th-3rd millennium BC.A copper flat axe tapering from narrow butt to convex slightly asymmetric cutting edge; the sides and edges with raised hatched lines running along much of the length and across the width. See Evans, John, The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881 figure 1 for general type and shape. 265 grams, 11.5cm (4 1/2"). Fine condition. Very rare.Private collection, UK; formed in the 1980s.The raised lines and hatching to both sides and edges of this axe result from the stone mould being deliberately and carefully incised and this feature is apparently unrecorded; it seems likely that the presence of these lines would have greatly assisted when hafting the axe, preventing the blade slipping in the socket, so a practical purpose rather than being of simple 'ornament' character. [No Reserve]
10th century AD and later. A group of four fire steels comprising of: one with coiled end attached to a miniature chain; two with decorative openwork motif and flat base; one stone in a silver pouch. 65 grams total, 33-60mm (1 1/4 - 2 1/4"). Fine condition.From a Surrey, UK, collection; formed before 2000. [4 No Reserve]
12th-15th century AD.A bronze openwork square plaque with scrolling pelta design to the corners forming a cross with circular boss to the centre set with a dark coloured stone; with separate suspension hanger. 19 grams, 45mm (1 3/4").Very fine condition. Rare type.Property of a London gentleman; formerly from a major Mayfair gallery; acquired on the London art market before 2000; collection number 637.
Late 19th-early 20th century AD.A pair of discoid stone mounts comprising: one grey and white agate with carved face of Mary with radiating crown; one carnelian with bust of Eros flanked by small wings. 2.51 grams, 18-23mm (3/4 - 1"). Very fine condition.Property of a South African collector; acquired in the UK between 1988-1990. [2 No Reserve]
9th-6th century BC.A group of stone cylinder seals consisting of: a composite seal engraved with a seated figure in long robes and holding a lotus flower, standing figure behind in kilt and holding a sceptre; in front a standing male in long kilt and holding a tall sceptre, three lotus flowers behind; a white marble cylinder seal engraved with geometric pattern; a black stone cylinder seal engraved with a horse and an ibex with plant motif between. 12 grams total, 14-21mm (1/2 - 3/4"). Fine condition.Acquired on the London art market prior to 1980. [3 No Reserve]
Early 1st millennium BC.A group of cylinder seals consisting of: a black stone seal engraved with a running frieze of seated male figures; a black stone seal engraved with net pattern; a black stone seal engraved with three standing figures with goats between and crescent moon and two stars above. 30 grams total, 13-29mm (1/4 - 1 1/4"). Fine condition.UK art market, acquired prior to 2000. [3 No Reserve]
3rd millennium BC.A group of cylinder seals comprising: a carnelian seal engraved with two worshippers, one kneeling, before a deity (Ishtar ?) standing on the back of a lion; a black stone seal engraved with eight cuneiform characters; a black stone seal engraved with two worshippers in long robes standing before a seated deity; a white stone seal engraved with a hunter holding a bow, large dog or wolf behind, leaping ibex to the front. 21.88 grams total, 18-27mm (3/4 - 1 1/4").Fine condition.From an important London collection, acquired in the 1990s. [4 No Reserve]
9th-6th century BC.A pair of stone cylinder seals comprising: a steatite seal engraved with two walking lions; a carnelian seal engraved with two priests standing either side of an altar. 11 grams total, 18-23mm (3/4 - 1"). Fine condition.From an important London collection, acquired in the 1990s. [2 No Reserve]
3rd millennium BC.A black stone cylinder seal engraved with a kneeling female with long plait of hair and arms raised in worship, scorpion below and three scorpions to the front; chevron pattern between. 18 grams, 22mm (3/4").Fine condition.Property of a London gentleman; acquired before 1995. [No Reserve]
Early 3rd millennium BC.A white calcite amulet in the form of a reclining calf; a green stone seal in the form of a reclining lion engraved to the underside with three hour glass shaped motifs. 12 grams, 19-28mm (3/4 - 1 1/4"). Fine condition.From a North London collection; formerly in the Rihani family collection, formed 1970-1980s. [2]
2nd millennium BC.A mixed group of stone cylinder seals comprising: one gussetted; one with design of fronds and pellets; one with frieze of figures; one conical with band to the rim. 31 grams total, 18-31mm (3/4 - 1 1/4"). Fine condition.Property of a South African collector; acquired in the UK between 1988-1990. [4 No Reserve]
2nd millennium BC.A stone fitting or pendant in the form of a phallus with the head pierced through the middle, lines to the top to indicate eyelashes; to the top and carved horn curving round, natural split in the rock to form the mouth, to the base a ridge running length of head; body widening to the base with drilled hole to the bottom. 215 grams, 10cm (4'").Fine condition.From a South West London collection; formed 1990-2000. [No Reserve]
Neolithic, 3rd-2nd millenium BC.A very large pecked and polished axe of lentoid section in a dark grey-brown olivine basalt with rounded butt tapering smoothly to the convex cutting edge, each side ornamented with 'fishbone' ribbing in relief; with small collection number in white ink to one side. See Glob, P. V., Danske Oldsager II, Yngre Stenalder, Copenhagen, 1952 for examples of Danish ornamented pieces. 2.32 kg, 31cm (12"). Fine condition. Very rare.Property of a Dutch collector; acquired on the European art market before 2000. Stone axes with significant ornament are rarely seen and were almost certainly prized as ceremonial objects rather than being used as implements.
Neolithic, 4th millennium BC.A fine grained white stone ritual axehead, trapezoid in profile, carved to the upper surface with three sections, hole to the upper section; to the base an elongated teardrop shape along the body. 416 grams, 13.5cm (5 1/4"). Very fine condition.Property of a European gentleman; acquired on the German art market in the 1990s. [No Reserve]
10th century AD. A silver pendant showing a male figure, Odin , with body composed of an interlaced strip with hands gripping the edge of the frame; suspension loop in the form of a bearded male face. Cf. Arwidsson, G. Birka II: 3 Systematische Analysen der Gräberfunde, Uppsala, 1986 p.27 fig.3:23 (Tuna, Alsike Ksp. Up. Typ Tuna"). 11 grams, 34mm (1 1/2"). Very fine condition. Rare.Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990. Supplied with a positive X-Ray Fluorescence metal analysis certificate.In Norse mythology, from which stems most of our information about the god, Odin is associated with healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, battle, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and is the husband of the goddess Frigg. In Old Norse texts, Odin is depicted as one-eyed and long-bearded, frequently wielding a spear named Gungnir, and wearing a cloak and a broad hat. He is often accompanied by his animal companions—the wolves Geri and Freki and the ravens Huginn and Muninn, who bring him information from all over Midgard —and Odin rides the flying, eight-legged steed Sleipnir across the sky and into the underworld. Odin is attested as having many sons, most famously the gods Baldr and Thor, and is known by hundreds of names. In these texts, Odin frequently seeks knowledge in some manner and in disguise (most famously by obtaining the Mead of Poetry), at times makes wagers with his wife Frigg over the outcome of exploits, and takes part in both the creation of the world by way of slaying the primordial being Ymir and the gift of life to the first two humans Ask and Embla. Odin has a particular association with Yule, and mankind's knowledge of both the runes and poetry is also attributed to Odin. This pendant would appear to represent Odin sacrificing himself on the world tree, Yggdrasill, in his pursuit for knowledge and the sacred runes. Odin hung himself from a branch of the world tree that hung over the well of Urd, pierced himself with his spear and looked into the sacred waters. He hung for nine days and nights poised between life and death and on the last day the runes revealed themselves to him and he gained the sacred and secret knowledge that elevated him to an even higher state in the world of the gods. The Jellinge style of art takes its name from the tenth century, Danish, royal cemetery at Jelling in Jutland and is noted for the ribbon like animals that decorate a silver cup and a memorial stone from the site.
4th-5th century AD. A gold mount in the form of a profile eagle's head with garnet and green stone (probably amazonite) cloisons, beaded wire rim and three attachment points. See Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.9.7.1 for similar. 7.28 grams, 35mm (1 1/2"). Extremely fine condition.Property of a private collector; acquired before 1975.
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