15th Century and Earlier Furniture

A Proto-Nazca textile fragment from Southern Peru circa 100BC-200AD. The linked munecas ("dolls" in Spanish) figures were woven with fibers likely from llama and it was used to be t...

Museum quality handwoven textile fragment, featuring human , or Martian motif professionally mounted on cotton matte , in very decorative wood frame as shadows box . The textile date...

Obverse: [HPAKLHIWN], head of Athena right, wearing crested Athenian helmet ornamented with Skylla; behind, K Reverse: HPAKLHIWN, Herakles, naked, standing facing, holding club and b...

Obverse: head of Demeter left, wearing barley wreath Reverse: ΜΕΤA, ear of barley, pitchfork above leaf in left field Weight: 7.84 g Grade: About extremely fine Reference: SNG ANS 4...

A substantially constructed, heavy medieval era English oak door possibly dating from as early as the 13th century. This 800-year-old door is a rare find and originates from Leominst...

The plate depicted here exhibits the intricate floral patterns and lotus motifs that are typical of Southern Song designs. The central floral motif captures the essence of Oriental b...

ITEM: Scarab with pseudo-hieroglyphic, Anra-type MATERIAL: Steatite CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: Second Intermediate Period, 1700 – 1550 B.C DIMENSIONS: 10 mm x 15 mm CONDITION: Good co...

A pair of antique Sukhothai pottery brown glazed jars with naturally running glaze on the body, natural shell and barnacle from shipwreck. Age: Thailand, Sukhothai Period, 14th - 16...

Corinthian helmet with Bull Horns and Lotus Flower Decoration. Archaic Period, c.550-500 BC. Cast, hammered and incised bronze. An exceptionally well preserved example of one of the most iconic ancient Greek...

The dish is decorated to the centre with a moulded appliqué dragon chasing the flaming pearl surrounded by a carved stylised foliage band at the cavetto. The moulded fluted exterior ...

Magnificent Aztec Basalt Eagle head, with powerful hooked beak, piercing eyes, and a fully-feathered head. The sculptor Highlighted the power of the head by finely burnishing the b...

ITEM: Scarab with spiral design MATERIAL: Steatite CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: Second Intermediate Period, 1700 – 1550 B.C DIMENSIONS: 12 mm x 9 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE...

ITEM: Scarab with Uraeus, Ankh and neb basket (Amun trigram) MATERIAL: Steatite CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: New Kingdom, 1550 – 1070 B.C DIMENSIONS: 12 mm x 8 mm CONDITION: Good condit...

This genuine moldavite in stellar condition offers a luminous green color and fascinating natural texture, making it an overall great specimen. Moldavite is one of the most sought af...

This breathtaking specimen comes from a distinctive group of fluorites that have affectionately been nicknamed, “tanzanite fluorite” for their gemlike aesthetics and color-shifting a...

ITEM: Scarab with prenomen for Amenhotep II MATERIAL: Steatite CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: New Kingdom, XVIIIth Dynasty, 1143 – 1417 B.C DIMENSIONS: 15 mm x 11 mm CONDITION: Good condi...

Maya Poly-chrome painted pottery bowl Guatemala/ central America late Classic period, circa A.D. 550-950, A  bowl of rounded  bottom circular form,  painted with a frieze of  monkey...

This is hard earthenware made during the Goryeo period in Korea. This vase was made around the 10th century. The walls of the vase are thin, but because they are baked at high tempe...

ITEM: Kylix MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Greek, Apulian PERIOD: 4th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 56 mm x 165 mm x 115 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection,...

The Campo del Cielo iron meteorites were discovered in 1576 about 500 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Testing proved the "rocks" to be meteorites. It is estimated that t...

ITEM: Scarab as a commemorative of Ramesses II or prenomen of Shoshenq III MATERIAL: Black steatite CULTURE: Egyptian PERIOD: New Kingdom to Third Intermediate Period, 1279 – 664 B.C...

The Seymchan meteorite is a pallasite meteorite found in Russia in the settlement of Seymchan. Discovered in 1967, it is one of only a few pallasite meteorites - a type of meteorite ...

A medieval English alabaster statue, possibly dating as far back as the late 14th / early 15th century, mounted on one of our exclusive large display plinths. Well weathered over the centuries, this 600-year-old statue depicts a medieval cloaked figure, possibly a monk, offering a glimpse into English architecture and sculpture of the Middle Ages. This sculpture is possibly made from Nottingham alabaster. During the 14th and 15th centuries, Nottingham was the centre of alabaster carving and painting. Alabaster works were mostly made as small alabaster models with religious themes. During the 16th century Reformation, many alabaster carvings were destroyed under King Henry VIII's rule, making any surviving examples even more significant. Provenance From the collection of Peter Hone (b. 1941). A master plaster caster, he is an expert and experienced collector, building up an extraordinary, museum-worthy collection of items in his one-bedroom flat in London W11...

Carcharodontosaurus (Dinosaur) tooth in a glass display box From Tegana Formation, North Africa. Cretaceous Age 65 million years Carcharodontosaurus is one of the longest and heavi...

Pre Columbian Colima Dog Ancient West Mexico Pre-Columbian, West Mexico, Colima Ancient Mexico C 200 BC –400 AD A attractive seated Colima dog v...

Decorated with floral and foliate reserves and clouds; lappets at base and leaves at neck. Dates : 15th century Le Dynasty Region : North Annam Type : Yuhuchun Vase Found/Acquired : Southeast Asia , South China Sea, Hoi An Ship Reference : 1) Art Gallery of Greater Victoria - A vase from the wreck of the Hoi An 2) Butterfield Treasures Hoi An Hoard...

ITEM: Relief of Medusa and Hercules knot MATERIAL: Limestone CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 2nd – 3rd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 465 mm x 362 mm x 103 mm (without stand) CONDITION: Good conditi...

ITEM: Mosaic depicting a bird MATERIAL: Tesserae CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 3rd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 400 mm x 440 mm x 40 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex Swiss private col...

This is a very old and large Japanese pottery. It is called Tokoname-yaki. This pottery was made from the 14th to 16th century. The distorted shape is very unique. It is very beauti...

Ancient Luristan bronze sword with green patina. Luristan bronze comes from the province of Lorestan, a region of nowadays Western Iran in the Zagros Mountains. With its rich and lo...

From San Eugenio, Artigas Dept., Uruguay Sharp crystal cluster in a parallel formation of scalenohedral calcite crystals on matrix  with lustrous translucent grape purple amethyst c...

This large, translucent piece of amber is from the Dominican Republic and is an estimated 16 to 25 million years old. Amber is fossilized tree resin and is considered a mineraloid. T...

Exceptionally Fine Wooden Sarcophagus Mask Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, circa 1069-945 BC. Acacia wood, rosewood, hippopotamus ivory Masterfully carved from a single piece of fine-grained hardwood, the present mask is characteristic of the most exquisite funerary art made during the 21st Dynasty, and was probably commissioned for a particularly high-ranking individual. The oval face displays a gently smiling mouth with full, outlined lips, furrows at the corners and a bow-shaped philtrum. The straight nose with rounded nostrils, the cheeks full and fleshy and the large, almond shaped eyes with heavy lids and tapering cosmetic lines, set below long, sweeping eyebrows. Social collapse across the Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age meant that the 21st Dynasty in Egypt was a period of great turmoil. Trade routes were disrupted, governments collapsed, and mass migration occurred. Economic scarcity meant that traditional funerary practices in Egypt were also affected, with a lack of material and financial resources leading to the reuse of preexisting material. As a result, during the 21st Dynasty, 19th and 20th Dynasty coffins changed ownership rapidly and were heavily recycled for new purposes. Tombs were also unmarked allowing them to be shared by many people. These new practices brought forth a shift in the understanding of funerary paraphernalia. No longer important objects owned forever by the deceased, they were now simply seen as short-term transformative devices, whose symbolic and ritualistic meaning could be appropriated for others. However, paradoxically, the art of coffin-making also reached new heights during this period, and many of the richly dec- orated “yellow” coffins, characteristic of the 21st Dynasty, are remarkable works of art in their own right. Indeed, knowing that coffins were being reused throughout Egypt, the Egyptian élite set themself apart by commissioning lavish sarcophagi decorated with the images and texts meant to help guide them to the afterlife, and which would otherwise have adorned the tomb walls. As coffins were the chief funerary element which now identified the dead and allowed them a physical presence in the world of the living, their quality and appearance were of the utmost importance. The traditional coffin ensemble was made of three parts: a wooden mummy cover, which laid directly atop the mummy, an inner coffin, and an outer coffin, both made of a lid and case. Additional decorative elements, such as masks, were carved out separately and later glued or pegged to the lids. After the completion of the painted decoration, the sarcophagus was covered in a varnish to give it its yellow colour. Gilding was sometimes used for the coffins of the high priests’ families, notably on parts representing naked skin, such as the face mask. However, some of the élite tactically avoided gilding altogether as to ensure that their coffin would not be looted. When manufacturing the inner and outer coffins, particular attention was paid to the woodwork. Displaying the skill of the carpenter, this type of funerary art has largely remained unparalleled throughout Egyptian history. The principal wood used to craft the present mask is Acacia nilotica. The evergreen Egyptian acacia was considered sacred and said to be the tree of life, the birthplace of the god Horus, as well as symbolic of Osiris, the god of the dead and resurrection. The modelling of the face in the wood is superb, but the inlays also help mark this mask out as exceptional. Inlaid eyes and eyebrows were extremely rare and reserved to the finest and most expensive coffins. Traditionally, eyes were made of calcite, obsidian, or quartz, and eyebrows of coloured glass paste or bronze. Here, the pupils, eyebrows, and cosmetic lines are inlaid with Dalbergia melanoxylon, a rare type of wood which belongs to the rosewood genus. In antiquity, however, it was known as Ebony of the Pharaohs, from the Egyptian word “hbny”, meaning dark timber, because of its black, lustrous appearance. An extremely dense and hard wood requiring significant skill to work with, ebony was a luxury material highly coveted by the pharaohs themselves, to make furniture, decorative and funerary objects. The wood was imported with great effort from the southern Land of Punt, most likely modern Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, alongside other luxury goods such as gold and ivory. A magnificent ebony throne, recovered in the tomb of King Tutankhamun, illustrates the incredible aesthetic potential of this material and why it was so highly valued by Egyptian royalty. Only élite members of Egyptian society could have afford- ed Ebony of the Pharaoh inlays for their funerary mask. The sclerae on the present piece were once both inlaid with hippopotamus ivory. Whiter than elephant ivory, this type of ivory is also denser, and more difficult to carve. The use of this luxury material, reputed for its gleaming appearance, enhances the lifelikeness of the eyes. For the Egyptians, hippopotamus ivory was imbued with magic powers. The hippopotamus was indeed both feared and venerated due to its aggressive behaviour. Whilst the male hippopotamus was associated with danger and chaos, the female was benevolent and invoked for protection, especially of the house and of mothers and their children, through the hippopotamus goddess Tawaret. Thus, not only was hippopotamus ivory used as an inlay and to make practical objects, such as combs and clappers, but it was also used to make talismans like apotropaic wands or knives. Made during a time of scarcity where few could afford made-to-order coffins, the present mask could have only belonged to one of the highest-ranking individuals in society. Undoubtedly one of the finest Egyptian coffin...

Intense purple latte aesthetic grape agate. A wonderful, sculptural arrangement! Origin: Indonesia

Aztec Spider Monkey with Wind God Regalia This sculpture portrays a spider monkey (Ateles geofroyi) wearing the regalia associated with the Aztec Wind God, Quetzalcoatl-Ehecatl. Th...

ITEM: Aryballos depicting a horse head MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Greek, Corinthian PERIOD: 7th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 62 mm x 55 mm diameter CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: E...

ITEM: Head MATERIAL: Marble CULTURE: Greek, Hellenistic period PERIOD: 3rd – 1st Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 55 mm x 47 mm x 47 mm CONDITION: Good condition. Includes stand PROVENANCE: E...

ITEM: Statuette of a Fat Lady MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Chinese, Tang Dynasty PERIOD: 618 – 907 A.D DIMENSIONS: 655 mm x 265 mm x 210 mm CONDITION: Good condition. Includes Thermoluminescence test by Laboratory Kotalla (Reference 05B101123). Includes Certificate of Authenticity from Dutch gallery PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired from Dutch art gallery Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 4 to 6 weeks. Due to the fragility and size of this piece, it can only be shipped within the European Union, United Kingdom and neighbouring countries that can be transported by road by private courier (door to door). This beautifully-finished ceramic attendant was made during what many consider to be China’s Golden Age, the Tang Dynasty. It was at this point that China’s outstanding technological and aesthetic achievements opened to external influences, resulting in the introduction of numerous new forms of self-expression, coupled with internal innovation and considerable social freedom. The Tang dynasty also saw the birth of the printed novel, significant musical and theatrical heritage and many of China’s best- known painters and artists. The Tang Dynasty was created on the 18th of June, 618 AD, when the Li family seized power from the last crumbling remnants of the preceding Sui Dynasty. This political and regal regime was long-lived, and lasted for almost 300 years. The imperial aspirations of the preceding periods and early Tang leaders led to unprecedented wealth, resulting in considerable socioeconomic stability, the development of trade networks and vast urbanisation for China’s exploding population (estimated at around 50 million people in the 8th century AD). The Tang rulers took cues from earlier periods, maintaining many of their administrative structures and systems intact. Even when dynastic and governmental institutions withdrew from management of the empire towards the end of the period – their authority undermined by localised rebellions and regional governors known as jiedushi –the systems were so well- established that they continued to operate regardless. The artworks created during this era are among China’s greatest cultural achievements. It was the greatest age for Chinese poetry and painting, and sculpture also developed (although there was a notable decline in Buddhist sculptures following repression of the faith by pro-Taoism administrations later in the regime). It is disarming to note that the eventual decline of imperial power, followed by the official end of the dynasty on the 4th of June 907, hardly affected the great artistic turnover. During the Tang Dynasty, restrictions were placed on the number of objects that could be included in tombs, an amount determined by an individual’s social rank. In spite of the limitations, a striking variety of tomb furnishings – known as mingqi – have been excavated. Entire retinues of ceramic figures – representing warriors, animals, entertainers, musicians, guardians and every other necessary category of assistant – were buried with the dead in order to provide for the afterlife. Warriors (lokapala) were put in place to defend the dead, while horses/ camels were provided for transport, and officials to run his estate in the hereafter. Of all the various types of mingqi, however, there are none more elegant or charming than the sculptures of sophisticated female courtiers, known – rather unfairly – as “fat ladies...

This huge, Museum-quality Spinosaur tooth is completely in tact with no repairs. This incredible specimen includes a display box for preservation and display purposes. Spinosaurus (m...

On offer is a near pair antique Korean ceramic vase from the end of Goryeo to the beginning of Joseon period (circa 14-15th). The vases feature cel...

This guardian figure represents a fusion of human and beast, a common motif symbolizing protection in Chinese lore. Crafted from pottery, the figure is a testament to the era's sculp...

ITEM: Statuette of a Fat Lady MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Chinese, Tang Dynasty PERIOD: 618 – 907 A.D DIMENSIONS: 645 mm x 260 mm x 180 mm CONDITION: Good condition. Includes Thermoluminescence test by Laboratory Kotalla (Reference 04B101123). Includes Certificate of Authenticity from Dutch gallery PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired from Dutch art gallery Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 4 to 6 weeks. Due to the fragility and size of this piece, it can only be shipped within the European Union, United Kingdom and neighbouring countries that can be transported by road by private courier (door to door). This beautifully-finished ceramic attendant was made during what many consider to be China’s Golden Age, the Tang Dynasty. It was at this point that China’s outstanding technological and aesthetic achievements opened to external influences, resulting in the introduction of numerous new forms of self-expression, coupled with internal innovation and considerable social freedom. The Tang dynasty also saw the birth of the printed novel, significant musical and theatrical heritage and many of China’s best- known painters and artists. The Tang Dynasty was created on the 18th of June, 618 AD, when the Li family seized power from the last crumbling remnants of the preceding Sui Dynasty. This political and regal regime was long-lived, and lasted for almost 300 years. The imperial aspirations of the preceding periods and early Tang leaders led to unprecedented wealth, resulting in considerable socioeconomic stability, the development of trade networks and vast urbanisation for China’s exploding population (estimated at around 50 million people in the 8th century AD). The Tang rulers took cues from earlier periods, maintaining many of their administrative structures and systems intact. Even when dynastic and governmental institutions withdrew from management of the empire towards the end of the period – their authority undermined by localised rebellions and regional governors known as jiedushi –the systems were so well- established that they continued to operate regardless. The artworks created during this era are among China’s greatest cultural achievements. It was the greatest age for Chinese poetry and painting, and sculpture also developed (although there was a notable decline in Buddhist sculptures following repression of the faith by pro-Taoism administrations later in the regime). It is disarming to note that the eventual decline of imperial power, followed by the official end of the dynasty on the 4th of June 907, hardly affected the great artistic turnover. During the Tang Dynasty, restrictions were placed on the number of objects that could be included in tombs, an amount determined by an individual’s social rank. In spite of the limitations, a striking variety of tomb furnishings – known as mingqi – have been excavated. Entire retinues of ceramic figures – representing warriors, animals, entertainers, musicians, guardians and every other necessary category of assistant – were buried with the dead in order to provide for the afterlife. Warriors (lokapala) were put in place to defend the dead, while horses/ camels were provided for transport, and officials to run his estate in the hereafter. Of all the various types of mingqi, however, there are none more elegant or charming than the sculptures of sophisticated female courtiers, known – rather unfairly – as “fat ladies...

ITEM: Piriform aryballos with scale pattern MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Greek, Corinthian PERIOD: 7th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 116 mm x 57 mm CONDITION: Good condition, handle repaired...

ITEM: Romano-Egyptian cartonnage mummy mask depicting a female head MATERIAL: Linen and Gesso CULTURE: Egyptian, Roman period PERIOD: 1st Century B.C – 1st Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 20...

ITEM: Head MATERIAL: Marble CULTURE: Greek, Hellenistic period PERIOD: 3rd – 1st Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 55 mm x 38 mm x 44 mm CONDITION: Good condition. Includes stand PROVENANCE: E...

A natural piece of Petrified Wood set on a stand. Completely organic natural raw fossil, cleaned for display. The natural process for petrified wood to be created takes hundreds to...

Carcharodontosaurus (Dinosaur) tooth in a glass display box From Tegana Formation, North Africa. Cretaceous Age 65 million years Carcharodontosaurus is one of the longest and heavi...

This pottery has a bulbous body with two small, protruding handles near its widest part. The pottery features horizontal bands of patterns, which include a sequence of geometric shap...

A hand modelled statue of a male coca chewer figure , known as a Coquero, wearing a sash sitting upon a bench,  the coca quid in his right cheek, with black negative resist design Pr...

ITEM: Skyphos MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Greek PERIOD: 4th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 125 mm x 220 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex Swiss private collection, acquired since a...

ITEM: Shipwreck amphora, Type Dressel 3 MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 1st – 2nd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 84 cm x 26 cm diameter (without st...

ITEM: Shipwreck amphora, Type Dressel 1B MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Roman, Republican period PERIOD: 2nd – 1st Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 110 cm x 29 cm...

Flying two heavenly beings depicted in the stone. They are celestial beings called an Apsara. While having the same fragment and shape, another work I uploaded exhibits small dots on...

Presenting a stunning 11C Red Sandstone Pot Bellied Vishnu carving. From Central India. This piece has impeccable Provenance ! It was purchased by a...

Carcharodontosaurus (Dinosaur) tooth in a glass display box From Tegana Formation, North Africa. Cretaceous Age 65 million years Carcharodontosaurus is one of the longest and heavi...

Ancient Luristan bronze spear with excellent green patina. Luristan bronze comes from the province of Lorestan, a region of nowadays Western I...

Obverse: head of Athena right, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and spiral palmette Reverse: owl standing right with h...

This petite ceramic jar is believed to be a later example of Neolithic Chinese redware pottery of the Yangshao culture. Although its exact age is unknown, the jar was likely created ...