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Lot 144
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. An attractive ceremonial axe head with a rectangular blade and wide, cylindrical shaft tube. On the back a solid bronze lion climbing the poll of the axe. The diligently worked out muscular body is fixed on the shaft. Custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual context. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:110mm / W:50mm ; 385g
Lot 188
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A bronze axe head with a curved blade, triangular cheek and a heavy, circular socket. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual contexts. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as axe heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Most of the Western-Asiatic bronze items have been recovered in funerary contexts. Custom made stand included. Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:127mm / W:52mm ; 600g
Lot 191
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. Cast axe head comprising of a tubular socket with ribbed borders, a scroll to the upper edge and bulb below, a collar can be seen above the lower rim. The asymmetrical swept blade has a convex edge. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual contexts. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Cast butted axes are hallmarks of Western-Asiatic bronze weaponry during the First Iron Age Period, between 1200 and 1000 BC. Most of Western-Asiatic bronze items have been recovered in funerary contexts. Custom made stand included. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:82mm / W:84mm ; 135g
Lot 129
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A stunning bronze sword with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, rounded guard and tubular grip with crescent-shaped decoration. The hilt finishes in a D-shaped pommel. Good condition; beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:580mm / W:93mm ; 930g
Lot 93
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A large and well-formed bronze blade with a central raised ridge that bifurcates at the base of the blade and a sturdy tang ending cast in one piece with the blade. Beautiful patina, good condition; on a custom stand. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. To find out more about Archaic Greek swords, see Warry, J. (1995). Warfare in the classical world: An illustrated encyclopedia of weapons, warriors, and warfare in the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:510mm / W:78mm ; 565g
Lot 78
Ca. 800–500 BC. Western Asiatic. An outstanding Western Asiatic / Achaemenid bronze wine bowl with a slightly flaring rim; a beautiful, dark polish enhances the entire surface. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tableware for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of the aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:50mm / W:175mm ; 200g
Lot 166
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A fine example of a cast bronze mace head with a flat tip, the cylindrical body- probably placed around a wooden or less decorated metal staff into the socket beneath the mace head- features five neat rows of spikes running horizontally down the piece. The head terminates in a reinforced, rounded socket. The base is flared. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual contexts. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Provenance: Private Oxfordshire collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:140mm / W:55mm ; 605g
Lot 102
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A finely modelled Western-Asiatic cast bronze double axe head, composed of a long, tubular socket with four ribbed borders, a convex axe blade and an adze blade to the rear. The socket is decorated with an anthropomorphic face, rendered in an extremely stylised manner with big, wide-open eyes. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual contexts. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Cast spike-butted axes are hallmarks of Western-Asiatic bronze weaponry during the First Iron Age Period, between 1200 and 1000 BC. Most of the Western-Asiatic bronze items have been recovered in funerary contexts. Custom made stand included. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:120mm / W:47mm ; 335g
Lot 92
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze sword with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, and short tang for insertion into a hilt. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88–89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:470mm / W:45mm ; 305g
Lot 294
Ca. 100 -200 AD . Roman A beautiful bronze panther with a slender, stretched body, the front paws resting on a small platform. The panther's ears are pricked, the eyes are bulging, and the mouth is open, showing a long tongue. The neck is adorned with wine leaves. In ancient Greek mythology, the panther was commonly associated with the god Dionysus, who used a panther as his preferred mount – a wonderful mosaic of the god riding a panther was discovered at Pella, ancient Macedonia (see Lilimpaki-Akamati 2004, 25). That this might be a votive statuette for the god of wine is corroborated by the wine leaves around the panther's neck. Similar piece sold at Christie's: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5546897 Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:68mm / W:28mm ; 156.5g
Lot 84B
Ca. 1100–1300 AD. Seljuk. A beautiful bronze mortar of octagonal form with flattened rim and flared foot, two sides with lion's head suspension loops with ring handles, the remaining six with triangular bosses, the pestle of flaring elongated form with ribbed handle and bulbous finial. The Seljuks were a ruling military family of the O?uz (Ghuzz) Turkic tribes that invaded southwestern Asia in the 11th century AD and eventually founded an empire that included Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and most of Iran. Their advance marked the beginning of Turkish power in the Middle East. The Seljuk dynasty died out at last early in the 14th century. To find out more abou the Seljuks, see Christian Lange and Songül Mecit (2011). The Seljuqs: Politics, Society, and Culture. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:145mm / W:150mm ; 2.5kg
Lot 201
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Greek Archaic Period, Bronze Age. A bronze spearhead with a lanceolate-shaped blade with flaring shoulders, a raised midrib, and a short flared neck that transitions into a tang. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and Mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. Good condition, on a custom-made stand. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:113mm / W:23mm ; 30g
Lot 77
Ca. 800–500 BC. Western Asiatic. An outstanding Western Asiatic / Achaemenid bronze wine bowl with a slightly flaring rim; a beautiful polish enhances the entire surface. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tableware for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of the aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:80mm / W:270mm ; 1.2kg
Lot 141
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. An attractive ceremonial axe head with a slender blade curving downward and cylindrical shaft tube. On the back a stylized animal figure, probably a lion, is climbing the poll of the axe. Custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual context. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:110mm / W:130mm ; 605g
Lot 331
Ca. 1000–600 BC. Bronze Age. A beautiful, heavy cast bronze bracelet features a wide band with a D-shaped section. The bracelet's band is decorated with engraved line decorations, while the terminals each bear two deeply incised dot-in-circle motifs. In Bronze Age societies bracelets were used not only as jewellery but also as ritual objects of high value, which allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. Such bracelets are discovered in burials as grave gifts or found in large hoards, and an important part of the Bronze Age cultures in both Europe and Asia. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:75mm / W:80mm ; 190g
Lot 199
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spearhead with an elongated leaf-shaped blade and barbs, wide raised midrib, and a short socket that transitions into a small tang for insertion into a haft. Good condition, beautiful patina; a custom-made stand is included. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:162mm / W:30mm ; 45g
Lot 163
Ca. 2000–1000 BC. Western/Central Europe. A bronze single-edged sickle blade with a rounded tip and a short handle to the end. Sickle blades were used for utilitarian and agrarian purposes but could perhaps also double as a battlefield weapon. The curved blade has a single sharpened edge along the interior periphery, a thick spine with a shallow fuller, and a short tang end. Provenance: Viennese collection 1980s-2000s. Bought by a London private collector in Vienna in 2002. Size: L:194mm / W:60mm ; 240g
Lot 67
Ca. 1100–700 BC. Western Asiatic. Bronze vessel with globular body, ring foot and short L-shaped, elongated spout. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tableware for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of the aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:115mm / W:200mm ; 315g
Lot 110
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spear with an elongated leaf-shaped blade with a raised midrib, sharpened edges that taper gradually to a pointed tip, short socket, and a tang for insertion into a haft. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88-89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:113mm / W:25mm ; 25g
Lot 60
Ca. 3000–2000 BC. Indus Valley Civilisation. Beautiful set of three terracotta jars. The smallest one is standing on a ring foot. The interior is decorated with black painted running ibexes, surrounded by geometric motifs and concentric black lines. The one on the left is decorated with stylised felines, a tree, geometric motifs and concentric black lines. The largest one is also decorated with stylised felines, trees, geometric motifs and concentric black lines. The Indus civilization, also called the Harappan civilization, is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent and was an important Bronze Age culture that arose around ca. 3300 BC and lasted until ca. 1300 BC. It extended from modern-day northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India. The nuclear dates of the civilization appear to be about 2500–1700 BC, though the southern sites may have lasted later into the 2nd millennium BC. Large numbers of ceramic vessels decorated with black slip have been found among the sophisticated urban settlements of South Asia's protohistoric Indus Valley civilization. The walls of this jar are so thin that it must have been created on a potter's wheel. Perhaps the best-known artefacts of the Indus civilization are a number of small seals, generally made of steatite depicting a wide variety of animals, both real—such as elephants, tigers, rhinoceros, and antelopes—and fantastic creatures. Sometimes human forms are included. A few examples of Indus stone sculpture have also been found, usually small and representing humans or gods. There is a fair number of small terra-cotta bowls decorated with figures of animals like the present item. To find out more about the Indus civilisation and its material culture, see Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. The Indus Civilization: a Contemporary Perspective. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:Set of 3; 70-95mm / W:65-120mm ; 665g
Lot 281
Ca. 100 AD. Roman. A bronze situla with gently curved concave sides, two riveted attachment plates with a loop at the rim to take the slender parabolic handle which is threaded through them and twisted back on itself. Good condition, beautiful patina. Situlae were bucket-shaped libation vessels with a handle of the late Bronze Age and Iron Age in Europe, whose function was most probably as containers of wine for ceremonial or festive occasions. These sacral vases are found in a large geographical area, i.e. in the Egyptian, Cretan, Etruscan and Roman civilizations. Of particular note are an outstanding series of bronze buckets from northern Italy and around the head of the Adriatic, dating from the late 7th to the early 4th-century BC, ornamented with elaborate human and animal scenes in a style known as situla art. To find out more about situale, see Kastelic, J., Gr?evi?, M., Kromer, K., & Mansuelli, G. (1965). Situla art: Ceremonial bronzes of ancient Europe/ with contributions by Karl Kromer and Guido Mansuelli. London: Thames & Hudson. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:190mm / W:200mm ; 1.1kg
Lot 40
Ca. 3000–2000 BC. Indus Valley civilisation. An interesting terracotta storage jar, amber coloured. The exterior is decorated with black painted running ibexes, surrounded by geometric motifs and concentric black lines. The Indus civilization, also called the Harappan civilization, is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent and was an important Bronze Age culture which arose around ca. 3300 BC and lasted until ca. 1300 BC. It extended from modern-day northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India. The nuclear dates of the civilization appear to be about 2500–1700 BC, though the southern sites may have lasted later into the 2nd millennium BC. Large numbers of ceramic vessels decorated with black slip have been found among the sophisticated urban settlements of South Asia's protohistoric Indus Valley civilization. The walls of this jar are so thin that it must have been created on a potter's wheel. Perhaps the best-known artefacts of the Indus civilization are a number of small seals, generally made of steatite depicting a wide variety of animals, both real—such as elephants, tigers, rhinoceros, and antelopes—and fantastic creatures. Sometimes human forms are included. A few examples of Indus stone sculpture have also been found, usually small and representing humans or gods. There is a fair number of small terra-cotta bowls decorated with figures of animals like the present item. To find out more about the Indus civilisation and its material culture, see Possehl, Gregory L., 2002. The Indus Civilization: a Contemporary Perspective. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Provenance: Private collection of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:80mm / W:110mm ; 285g
Lot 147
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spearhead with an elongated leaf-shaped blade and barbs, wide raised midrib, and a short socket with linear decoration that transitions into a small tang for insertion into a haft; a custom-made stand is included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 88- 89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1970s Size: L:159mm / W:28mm ; 40g
Lot 26
Ca. 1300–1200 BC. Shang dynasty. A beautiful bronze jia tripod vessel comprising a flaring rim, inward sloping neck, flaring shoulder and flat bottom supported by three wedge-shaped legs. A single strap handle is attached to one side of the vessel and two posts with conical casts rise from the rim. A decorative frieze runs around the neck of the vessel, just above the shoulder, and depicts stylised taotie masks. The taotie are mythological creatures commonly appearing in ancient Chinese art, where they are commonly associated with the Four Evils of the World, a motif fitting for a vessel that would have been used for holding food on ritual or ceremonial occasions. Jia with this form and decoration are typical of the Anyang period (ca. 1300-1030 BC) and a comparable example can be seen in Shang Ritual Bronzes in the National Palace Museum Collection, Taipei, 1998, pp. 152-7, no. 9. A similar, less well-preserved object was recently sold at Christie's, see https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-bronze-ritual-tripod-wine-vessel-jia-6276463-details.aspx?from=salesummery&intobjectid=6276463. This piece has undergone X-Ray Fluorescence analysis by an independent Belgian Laboratory. The samples collected show the chemical composition to reflect the typical metal contents of the described period, whilst also showing no modern trace elements in the patina. Provenance: UK private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong. Size: L:290mm / W:210mm ; 1.6kg
Lot 95
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A bronze dagger with a long, bevelled blade, folded-in guard, concave handle that would have been inset with stone, bone or ivory, and a crescent moon-shaped pommel; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:316mm / W:33mm ; 270g
Lot 134
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A fine dagger with a leaf-shaped flat-section iron blade and a bronze hilt with ribbed socket and lozengiform grip, crescentic pommel. Good condition; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:230mm / W:27mm ; 90g
Lot 79
Ca. 800–500 BC. Western Asiatic. An outstanding, deep Western Asiatic / Achaemenid bronze wine bowl with a high rim; a beautiful patina enhances the entire surface. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tableware for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of the aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1980s. Size: L:55mm / W:130mm ; 110g
Lot 56
Ca. 1100–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A bronze vessel with a short neck, globular body, ring foot and L-shaped, elongated spout decorated with a band of hemispherical rivets. A U-shaped handle is attached to the body. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tableware for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of the aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:210mm / W:380mm ; 830g
Lot 148
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spear with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, raised midrib, sharpened edges that taper gradually to a pointed tip, short socket, and a short tang for insertion into a haft. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in Western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey, P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 88-89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1970s Size: L:118mm / W:20mm ; 25g
Lot 389
Ca. 800–600 BC. Celtic Bronze Age. A heavy, cast bronze bracelet with a curved section and sheer terminals exhibiting a stunning turquoise green patina. Excellent condition; wearable. In the Bronze Age, bracelets such as this one were used not only as jewellery but also allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. For more information on Bronze Age bracelets, see Stead, I. M. (1997). Celtic Art. Harvard University Press, 42-44. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:60mm / W:70mm ; 80.5g
Lot 220
Ca. 664 - 525 B.C. Late Period, Saite Period, Egyptian. An ancient Egyptian bronze figure of Osiris in mummiform position holding the crook and flail. He is depicted with a braided divine beard and wearing the atef crown with plumes of ostrich feathers which symbolises power and shows his role as king in the afterlife. Below this uraeus is depicted protecting him. Osiris was one of the most popular ancient Egyptian gods and was connected with male fertility. He was said to be the first Pharaoh of Egypt and was murdered by his brother Seth for his crown. Osiris was revived by Isis, his wife and sister, to conceive Horus, the son who would avenge his death. After death, Osiris became ruler of the underworld and God of the dead, which is why he is shown with the crook and flail, the symbols of authority for Egyptian rulers.Objects for Eternity, fig. 3.10, for a parallel.Brooklyn Museum, US. Accession Number: 11.657a-bhttps://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/5720Metropolitian Museum of Art, New York, US. Accession Number: 61.45https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/545802 Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired in early 2000s; previously in 1970s UK collection. Size: L:190mm / W:55mm ; 270g
Lot 133
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze sword with a leaf-shaped blade, raised mid-rib, penannular guard, concave grip, and a crescent moon-shaped pommel; custom-made stand included. Provenance: Private UK collection; Formerly acquired on the European art market from pre-2000 collections. Size: L:328mm / W:35mm ; 175g
Lot 384
Ca. 800–600 BC. Bronze Age. A stunning necklace comprising annular bronze, glass, and carnelian beads. The central pendant is shaped like a moon crescent. Good condition. Beautiful patina. Such necklaces may originally have belonged to precursors of the Druids, the members of the learned class among the ancient Celts who acted as priests, teachers, and judges. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:245mm / W:mm ; 50g
Lot 310
Ca. 900–1100 AD. Viking Age. A bronze ring with median hoop extending to two round-section bars coiled to the edges of the flat-section flanges; incised linear motifs to the flanges. For more information on Viking jewellery, see Arbman, H. (1940). Birka I Die Gräber. Uppsala & Hubbard, B. (2016) The Viking Warrior. Amber Books Ltd, London, 61-65. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: D: 17.97mm / US: 7 3/4 / UK: P 1/2; 7.8g
Lot 362
Ca. 900–1100 AD. Viking Age. A beautiful semi-circular ribbed bronze bracelet. The central rectangular section is decorated with a wavy and linear incised geometric motif (possibly a cross). Good condition; beautiful patina. In Viking society, bangles and bracelets were not only decorative but also served to mark loyalty between a ruler and his followers in a culture where honour was a matter of life and death. Such items were also given to young men to mark their coming of age. Bracelets made of precious metals were also used as a means of payment in a time before the widespread availability of coinage. For more information on Viking jewellery, see Arbman, H. (1940). Birka I Die Graeber. Uppsala. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:45mm / W:65mm ; 30g
Lot 109
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. A bronze spearhead with an elongated leaf-shaped blade and barbs, wide raised midrib, and a short socket with linear decoration that transitions into a small tang for insertion into a haft; a custom-made stand is included. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:157mm / W:29mm ; 40g
Lot 200
Ca. 1200–800 BC. Greek Archaic Period. A bronze spearhead with a triangular, lentoid sectioned blade, raised midrib and a long tang. This item is mounted on a stand. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and Mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:124mm / W:25mm ; 25g
Lot 91
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic/Aegean. This beautiful cast bronze sword has a tapering, bevelled blade with a raised midrib, triangular guard with incised dotted decoration, and an elaborate handle with a band of horizontal stripes imitating wire wrapping which terminates in a crescentic pommel. The recessed spaces would have been inset with stone, bone or ivory inlay. Good condition, beautiful patina; custom-made stand included. Bronze weaponry production flourished in western Asia, the Aegean, and mainland Greece from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC, when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, spears, and arrows were important symbols of war in Greek Bronze Age societies and served as powerful reminders that authority rested in the hands of those who could earn it. For more information, see Moorey P. R. S. (1971). Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 88–89 & Muscarella, O. W. (1988). Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 103-104. Provenance: Property of a North London gentleman; previously acquire on the UK/European art market in the 1980s. Size: L:455mm / W:103mm ; 880g
Lot 83
Ca. 3100–2500 BC. Bactrian. A fine Bactrian alabaster vessel, featuring a flat foot, a bulbous body and a rounded rim. It has a beautiful cream colour, with reddish veins running through its body. Alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BC onward. The purpose of such a vessel is not known. Pieces like this one often came from burials and votive offerings. Along with others that make up the typology of stone vessels, such as column or circular idols, these objects are all characteristic of the Bactrian material culture. This piece relates to an ancient culture referred to both as the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BCAM) or as the Oxus Civilisation. The Bactria-Margiana culture spread across an area encompassing the modern nations of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Northern Afghanistan. Flourishing between about 2100 and 1700 BC, it was contemporary with the European Bronze Age and was characterised by monumental architecture, social complexity and extremely distinctive cultural artefacts that vanish from the record a few centuries after they first appear. Pictographs on seals have been argued to indicate an independently-developed writing system. It was one of many economic and social entities in the vicinity and was a powerful country due to the exceptional fertility and wealth of its agricultural lands. This in turn gave rise to a complex and multifaceted set of societies with specialist craftsmen who produced luxury materials such as this for the ruling and aristocratic elites. Trade appears to have been important, as Bactrian artefacts appear all over the Persian Gulf as well as in the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley. For this reason, the area was fought over from deep prehistory until the Mediaeval period, by the armies of Asia Minor, Greece (Macedonia), India, and the Arab States, amongst others. Many stone carvers inhabited the regions of Margiana and Bactria and there was no shortage in raw material soft steatite or dark soapstone, but also various kinds of marble and white-veined alabaster. The main source for these stones, including semi-precious lapis-lazuli, was in Bactria, at Badakhshan (now north-western Afghanistan), which provided material not only for the Bactrian and Margian carvers but also, further to the west into Mesopotamia, for the Assyrian kings. For more information on Bactria, see Mairs, R. (ed.) (2020). The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek World. London: Taylor & Francis. Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK / International art markets. Size: L:75mm / W:95mm ; 250g
Lot 405
Ca. 2000–800 BC. Western Asiatic/ Amlash culture. A beautiful, heavy cast bronze bracelet features a wide band with a D-shaped section. The bracelet's band is decorated with elaborate, engraved line decorations, while the terminals each end in snake heads. Excellent condition; wearable. In the Bronze Age, bracelets such as this one were used not only as jewellery but also allowed their owners to store wealth before the invention of coinage. For more information on Amlash culture, see R. Ghirshman (1967). The Arts of Ancient Iran, New York, 31–38. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:65mm / W:70mm ; 156.3g
Lot 279
Ca. 100–200 AD. Roman Imperial. A beautiful bronze statuette of the Roman god Mars atop a spool-shaped socle. The god is depicted nude, wearing solely a helmet surmounted by a crest. He is shown as slightly bent backwards, putting his weight on the left bent leg. His right hand is raised, suggesting that he was holding a spear that is now lost, whilst in his left arm, he carries a small shield. Mars was an ancient Roman deity, in importance second only to Jupiter, who, by historical times, had developed into a god of war. In Roman literature, he was the protector of Rome, a nation proud in war. Under Augustus the worship of Mars at Rome gained a new impetus; not only was he traditional guardian of the military affairs of the Roman state but, as Mars Ultor (“Mars the Avenger”), he became the personal guardian of the emperor in his role as the avenger of Caesar. His worship at times rivalled that of Capitoline Jupiter, and about AD 250 Mars became the most prominent of the 'di militares' (military gods) worshipped by the Roman legions. In literature and art, he is hardly distinguished from the Greek Ares. Cf. with two similar bronze statuettes in the Louvre, https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010257386; and, https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010289095. In this statuary group, also in the Louvre, we can appreciate Mars' elaborate crested helmet in detail, https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010275212. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:110mm / W:50mm ; 155g
Lot 87
Ca. 200–400 AD. Late Roman. A beautiful legionary sword of the 'spatha' type. This broad parallel-sided spatha has a convergent tip and a slender tang protrudes from the back end, which would have been wrapped with a handle made of bone or ivory meant to increase the soldier's grip while imbuing the weapon with an attractive presentation. The spatha is accompanied by its bronze scabbard, which has four panels decorated with openwork triangles and concentric circles. Starting around the late 2nd century AD, the Romans began adopting the long, double-edged swords called 'spathae', which were originally only used by the Germanic peoples. The Roman spatha was a key part of Roman military equipment used in war and gladiatorial fights. In literature, the spatha appears in the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD as a weapon used by presumably Germanic auxiliaries and gradually became a standard heavy infantry weapon from the late 2nd century onwards, relegating the gladius to use as a light infantry weapon. The spatha replaced the gladius in the front ranks, giving the infantry more reach when thrusting. While the infantry's spathae had a long point, versions carried by the cavalry had a rounded tip that prevented accidental stabbing of the cavalryman's own foot or horse. Good condition; custom-made stand included. To find out more about spathae, see Bishop, C. C. (2020). The Spatha: the Roman Longsword. Bloomsbury Publishing. Provenance: Private UK collection; formerly with K.A, acquired on the German art Market pre-2000. Size: L:780mm / W:47mm ; 845g
Lot 68
Ca. 202 BC–220 AD. Han dynasty. A beautiful and rare Chinese Han dynasty pottery duck with bronze legs. The duck is standing on its detailed bronze legs which support a globular, squat body and a short neck terminating in a red coloured head with a light-coloured beak and open, attentive eyes. The body is decorated with brownish and green glaze, imitating the animal's plumage. The Han Dynasty, which ruled between 202 BC-220 AD, brought great prosperity and stability to China, reigning over a golden age of classical Chinese civilisation during which China saw major advances including the widespread development of a monetary economy and the invention of paper, as well as much progress in the decorative arts. To find out more about the Han Dynasty and its art production, see Milleker, Elizabeth J. (ed.) (2000). The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East and West. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Provenance: UK private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong. Size: L:130mm / W:135mm ; 430g
Lot 193
Ca. 1200–700 BC. Western Asiatic. A beautiful two-bladed axe head of the labrys type. Bronze weaponry production flourished from the 2nd millennium BC to about 700 BC when it was gradually replaced by iron. Swords, mace heads, spears and arrows were exchanged via trade and war and are discovered in both civic and ritual contexts. An axe head such as this one would have been an important symbol of rank, and have served a purpose in warfare, but also in religious contexts as mace heads were common votive offerings in shrines. Cast spike-butted axes are hallmarks of Western-Asiatic bronze weaponry during the First Iron Age Period, between 1200 and 1000 BC. Most of the Western-Asiatic bronze items have been recovered in funerary contexts. Custom made stand included. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s. Size: L:81mm / W:73mm ; 175g
Lot 295
Ca. 450–400 BC. Classical. A beautiful bronze figurine of a bull standing on a four-legged stone platform. It is naturalistically modelled with a heavy body, a long tail extending between legs, short horns, small ears, a thick dewlap, incised mouth, nostrils and recessed lidded eyes. For a similar bull at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, see https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/250911?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=bronze+greek+statuette&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=13. Also, cf. with another similar bull sold at Christie's, . To find out more about the depiction of animals in ancient art, see Kozloff, A., & Cleveland Museum of Art. (1981). Animals in ancient art from the Leo Mildenberg collection/ edited by Arielle P. Kozloff. Cleveland, Ohio: Published by the Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press. Provenance: Private UK collection; From an old British collection formed in the 1980s. Size: L:98mm / W:90mm ; 434.7g
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