A very solidly built key for a large strong-box or treasury chest, c. mid 16th. century.

The key with a large, enforced bit with elaborately carved slots. The stem decorated with an octagonal collar and the bow typical late Gothic design.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship...

A lovely key for a treasury chest, late 15th.- early 16th. century.

A solidly built key with enforced bit and elaborately carved hollow stem and the oval bow decorated in the gothic manor with three globes. A rare key!

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even tiny statuettes...

A lovely key for a large strong-box or treasury chest, probably Italian, late 15th-early 16th. century.

A massive key with a large, enforced bit with elaborately carved slots. The stem and oval bow decorated in the gothic manor. Finely patinated with remnants of copper and gold from previous guilding...

Important large decorated iron belthook with key ring, Late Gothic, c. late 16th. century.

The fine belt hook with iron cut decoration on the front and the bended hook on the back. The hook with a large key ring for multible keys, sustained with a workable screw when keys are suspended to the ring.

Size: 17,6 cm. long and c 6,8 cm. wide.

Condition: Extremely fine for the type and age, with wear from use and lovely brown patina...

Six-panel byobu 屏風 screen painted on silk with floral motifs with numerous chrysanthemums. The ocher silk provides a warm backdrop for the delicate floral motifs that adorn the screen. The chrysanthemums, with their elegant shapes and shades of white, yellow and pink, are painted with precision, creating a visual effect that captures the essence of nature's beauty...

Finely engraved and dated pewter stein or stob / Germany, made in 1708 (touchmark inside lid).

An early form of Stob without the pronounced stand-ring and with an interesting central engraving of a man hitting a fruit tree with a staff and a female beneath picking up the fruit that falls down into a basket; on either side a floral vase; above the German inscription, ''Wúnscht dein der freude an, seinen kindern erlebt''Later initialized and dated by new owners to 1806, so nearly a 10...

Ivory netsuke depicting a monk intent on decisively cutting an Oni horn using a large knife. The act itself suggests a struggle between good and evil. Shōkusai signature with engraving under the base. Period: Edo 19th century Dimensions: 4.5 x 2.9 x 1.9 cm. Conservation status: Excellent condition

An attractive hard burnt terracotta plaque of female deity, probably Ishtar, with tall headdress and fine gown, babylonian, 2nd. mill. BC.

The godess is decorated with wedge-like decoration on her breasts and lower part of gown. On the back inscribed with 4 columns of Cuneiform, untranslated by us.

Size: c. 13 cm.

Condition: Very fine, intact with repaired hairline cracks runing though the middle and at the feets...

Cherry blossoms. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. Signed Eitai and sealed.

Ito Eitai (1876-?) was a Japanese painter born in Nagasaki prefecture in Japan. He was a disciple of Migita Toshihide (1863-1925), Murase Gyokuden, and Kawabata Gyokusho. He specialized in portrait paintings, landscape paintings, and bird and flower paintings.

Some insignificant light marks are present on the painting itself, otherwise the painting and mounting are in fine condition...

A fine condition bronze key of the typical Roman design, c. 1st.-3rd. century AD.

Size: 63-64 mm. long.

Condition: Extremely fine, superb with even green patina.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A high quality and very large Byzantine / darkage bronze key, ca. 6th.-9th. century AD.

The key is finely made with a square bow withy protuding finial and a two-section hollow stem.

Size: 107 mm. long.

Condition: Extremely fine, superb with dark green enamel patina. A condition rarity as such.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A very attractive Byzantine or darkage bronze chest key approx 6th.-9th. century AD.

The key is finely made with a round bow and square decoration to the hollow stem.

Size: 75 mm. long.

Condition: Extremely fine, superb with even green patina. A condition rarity as such.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A very attractive Byzantine or darkage bronze chest key approx 6th.-9th. century AD.

The key is very finely made with a hexagonal bow and decoration to the hollow stem.

Size: 65-66 mm. long.

Condition: Good very fine, very nice mottled green and red patina. A condition rarity as such.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

Chogappo made of fragments of choma (ramie), one of bast fibers, which is recycled from vegetable indigo dyed choma, and it has beautiful nuance of different indigo colors. Pojagi is the general name for the wrapping cloth and "chogappo" is one kind of pojagi which is patchworked with asa (choma or hemp) fragments. (Reference source: "Korean Embroidery and Wrapping Cloths from the Choson Dynasty" published by Japan Art & Culture Association in 1995)...

Rare Warring States, circa 475–221 BCE, squat gray pottery jar, with incised wave, impressed diamond and large carved spiral patterned bands. The spiral pattern is quite interesting as this is usually only seen on archaic jade bi from the period. Some of the tips of the spiral are broken otherwise superb condition considering its delicacy and age. The surface absorbs water very quickly with a distinct petrichor scent. D: 28cm/11in and H: 14cm/5.5in.

As one of the rarest keys in the present collection, we're selling, here's a full size early gate key in an extraordinary condition, European, 14th. century.

Beautiful key with a Gothic fire-welded three-pass flute, a long straight and hollow stem, folded and hammered, and two slots in the rectangular bit.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship...

An unusual mask with gaping jaws and flattened features covered in red and black lacquer with golden teeth and eyes dated a lucky day in the 6th month of Tenmei 2 (1782)...

A rare and superb condition iron key of an unusual length, European, Late Medieval, c. 14th century or a slightly earlier.

A large and impressive key of the c. 13th.-14th. century design with an oval bow and the stem ending in a long spike, but with the wide slotted bit placed just below the finial. A very complicated slot, possibly from a large oak casket.

Size: 14,1 cm.

Condition: About extremely fine, completely intact with dark patina and very good metal be...

A large and very early key, European, Late Medieval, c. 12th.-13th. century.

The key has a doomed bow and the stem ending in a long spike. The wide and unusual large bit with a complicated slot, probably a castle passage door key.

Size: 15,2 cm.

Condition: Very fine, tiny loss and othervise completely intact.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

Excessively rare and superb condition bronze and iron key, European, Early renaissance, 14th.-15th. century (c.1380-1450).

Very interesting heavy bronze bow of a Gothic design and the stem and bit made of iron. A very complicated bit of an S-shape.

The key was probably from a money box or jewellery box, due to the complicated bit and heavy design.

Size: 11 cm. - a large and heavy key for the period.

Condition: Extremely fine, lovely metal.

...

A striking baluster from vase decorated with sinister crows hunched in the silhouette of a leafless winter tree signed on the base Satsuma Kinunzan and dated on side the fifth month of 1911. This fits in perfect with our Kwaidan theme this month, the brooding figures austere against the bleak winter sky, something ominous, a lingering threat. It comes enclosed in a wooden box with a long inscription inside the lid which appears to state it was received from the master of the Satsuma Kinunzan stu...

A delicate kiri-wood tray decorated with a fledgling among grass puffed up against the cold by important 20th century artist Domoto Insho enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kosuzume Seifu (Small Sparrow, Pure Wind) and signed inside Insho Saku. It is 19 x 19 x 2.5 cm (7-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 1 inch) and is in excellent condition.

Reddish limestone. Animal battle scene with crossing bulls and crescent moon standard, worshippers in between. A larger seal in an attractive red-orange stone. Isin-Larsa period, Old Babylonian, ca. 2002-1594 BC.

Height 26 mm and diameter is 13 cm., so fairly thick.

Condition: Very fine, smooth wear but intact with a nice patina.

Provenance: The Karl Müller collection, Germany 1950-1977. Comes with COA and his imprint.

A nice large/thick faience Ushabti, Third Intermediate Period, 21/22th dynasty (ca 1085-713BC)

A blue-green faience shabti, wearing the headband and two hoes. Inscribed with clear hieroglyphs at the lower front. Details are added in black.

Size: 128 mm. tall.

Condition: Near very fine, intact but with hairline reattached feet and some minor losses and corrosion with much uncleaned deposits.

Ex. Cristian Spinu Collection, Ex. Timeline Originals UK, with...

Ceramic sculpture of the white fox, messenger of Inari – the Shinto and Buddhist deity of harvest, rice and abundance.

The Inari fox (kitsune) is a benevolent animal, a sign of prosperity and wealth. This proximity to the kami Inari leads to the two figures being mixed and substituted in the imagination, with the animal becoming a fox-god. Inari’s fox is depicted holding a variety of objects in its mouth with different symbolic meaning: a wheat ear, a scroll, a ball or a key. In...

Cotton cloth with katazome pattern which is called "Narumi-Kongata", imitating Arimatsu-Narumi shibori pattern. It is called "Urumi-zome among craftspeople. It uses plural stencils and requires high dyeing technique. In good condition but has two mending patches for the cut which used to be the neck part and in one side of selvedges. The Meiji period (1868 to 1912). W:33cm, L:180cm

A striking image of an itinerant monk carrying his few earthly possessions though the cedar forest in draped in a mino straw-raincoat and hat, all performed with colored thread in silk embroidery. Behind glass, it has been well protected over the last 100 plus years. The wide dark frame is stained Nara (a form of oak) emulating the arts and crafts style. The inner joints have shrunk, a testament to age. The silk panel is 21.5 x 29 cm (8-1/2 x 11-1/2 inches), the frame 38.5 x 46 x 4.5 cm (15...

A very beautiful late renaissance to early Baroque door lock plate, probably german or Northern Europe, c. late 16th.-early 17th. century.

Fine openwork style iron wrought and cut and nicely etched with floral decorations.

Size: 24,5 cm. long.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A rare folding key, probably British, and late 18th/19th. century.

This type of key is of course a 'must have' for serious Key and Lock collectors and quite difficult to find on the market.

Size: 196 mm. when opened and 113 mm. closed, making it a very large key of the type.

Condition: Good Very fine, excellent metal with minor rust and black patina.

Reff. see an identical smaller key offered at the Sothebys 'Collections & Collectors' sale 2016 / lot 6...

A rare type of iron key from box or cabinet very, European c. later 16th. century.

An interesting key with a disc shaped decoration on the bow and complicated stem and bit.

Size: 92 mm. long.

Condition: Nice VF, good metal.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A rare type of iron key from box or cabinet very, European c. later 16th. century.

An interesting key with a disc shaped decoration on the bow and complicated stem and bit.

Size: 95 mm. long.

Condition: Near VF, some corrosion.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A very nice and elaborate iron key of the Venethian openwork style, fitting for a casket or jewelry box, Venice, 15th.-16th. century.

An interesting version of this type with a complicated iron cut bow with an octagonal web motif and a spendid finial for a key-ring at the top. Nice piece with remnants of copper inlays in the bow and stem.

Size: 98 mm. long.

Ex. Danish Collection of keys.

A massive and very rare key from a large iron strongbox or bank box, probably Germany, c. later 16th. century AD.

Probably made in German with a complicated bit and very large size.

We've added a picture of a larger male hand holding the key to show the proportions of the piece.

Lenght: 17 cm. and the bow is around 8 cm. wide. The weight is stunning 476 grams.

Condition: Good very fine, fine metal with a thick and stable iron patina.

Ex. Dani...

Cloth with katazome (stencil-resist dye) which is hand spun and vegetable indigo and pigment dye. In good condition, however slightly colors faded. 19th century. W:32.5cm, L:180cm

Cotton cloth with "Kikai-suji shibori", Machine-pleated Stripes and vegetable indigo dye. Kikai-suji shibori was developed in 1910s and it was very popular then. Vegetable indigo dye. In excellent condition. 1910s to 1930 W:30cm, L:144cm

24054902 A satin finish Wheeling peachblow number 13 stick vase in a lustreless finish by Hobbs, Brockunier & Co. of Wheeling, WV. The vase is 8 ½ inches tall and 3 1/4 inches in diameter. There are no imperfections.

A rare pair of very early and beautiful baroque Pewter candlesticks, pricket type, probably germany or England, 17th. century.

The prickets was made in iron and the pair is stamped with clear touchmarks of the crowned Tudor rose and another with angel.

Size 31-32 cm. tall.

Condition: Choice very fine and intact. Few minor bends, fine patina.

Provenance: Private Collection of Bjørn Roepstorff, an important Danish castle / mansion collection of Early Eu...

A very unusual basket made of pine cones bound together on edge enclosed in the original wooden box dated New Years of Showa Six (1931) titled Chiyo no Matsukasa (Cones of the Ancient Pine). The basket is 20 cm (8 inches) diameter, 33.5 cm (13-1/4 inches) tall and comes with the original bamboo insert. It is in overall fine condition. I have never seen another like it.

A lovely and extremely rare type of Westerwald vessel with handle, Germany, c. late 16th.-early 17th. century.

The vessel decorated with fine gothic looking lions and rossettes as spacers with manganese blue.

Size: c. 22 cm. wide incl the handle and 14,3 cm tall.

Condition: Nice Very fine for the early type, completely intact but for a closed crack with short hairlines, just below the handle to the right. Never repaired and very stable and sound.

Ex....

An attractive and very rare large tankard, Germany, Cologne area, dating to the 16th. century.

The tall brown saltglazed stoneware tankard, decorated with three historical emperors and great generals, namely Karl the Great, Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great with floral and figural spacers in between. Pewter lid.

Size: 29 cm. tall.

Condition: F-VF, affordable since it's partly restored and with some repainting to cover the connection of the shards. Looks int...

A sage admires pine boughs billowing out over the waves from his seat upon a stone carved into this fine bamboo tea container capped with a wooden lid opposite the archaic characters Seishin (Pure heart) signed Chikuzan on the bottom and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Take-sei Chatsubo (Bamboo tea container). The fine kiri-wood box has been decorated on all surfaces with a landscape of Mu-chi style forested hills and a long verse by Chikuzan. Dating from the early 20th centu...

An interesting and rare motif of a coiled on a Ubaid period stamp seal of the round gable type, Mesopotamia c. 5th.-4th. millenium BC.

Size: c. 20 mm.

Condition: About Very fine, some light chipping.

This seal comes with hard impression and original ID-card from below collection, see pictures.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from ...

An interesting and scarce stamp seal, carved and finely polished in white stone, perhaps marple, and engraved in the base with globules, Uruk period, 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

Size: c. 16 mm. and 13 mm tall.

Condition: Near Extremely fine.

This seal comes with hard impression and original ID-card from below collection, see pictures.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, ...

Three antique heavy copper inscribed Yantras. Undated, estimated to be19th century or earlier. Sizes from left 21x18 cm 21.5 Dia 21x20.5 cm Can be viewed in central London and shipped worldwide with insurance and tracking.

Chinese transitional period compressed ovoid form jar decorated in underglaze blue with birds and insects flying among bamboo and flowering plants emerging from rockery set against a white porcelain ground. The upright glazed neck is decorated with downward pointed leaves. Glazed interior and flat slightly recessed unglazed base. 17th century. Measures nearly 12" high. Very good overall condition. There is a fine old brown chicken foot crack in the interior (see image). From the estate of...

Interesting seal or gaming token perhaps with an elaborate carving of a Sun symbol, probably 1st. millenium BC.

Rare piece carved in either a very durable bone or steatite (?), beautiful patina.

Size: 18 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Extremely fine.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized...

Interesting early scaraboid stamp seal, shaped as a stylized Egyptian Scarab, North-Eastern Anatolia / Western Mesopotamia, c. 3rd. mill. BC.

Size: 18 x 16 mm.

Condition: Nice very fine, lovely deep relief.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberlän...

A rare type dated in newer research to the Neolithic period of Eastern Anatolia / Northern Mesopotamia, 7th.-6th. mill. BC.

Drop or leaf shaped amuletic seal with tiny gritt patterns and loop at the top.

Size: 24 mm. long and 11 mm. wide.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from ...

Interesting cylinder seal, probably in faience, engraved with symethric patterns, Mesopotamia, Jemdet Nasr, 3300-2900 BC.

Size: 30 mm. tall and 10 mm. wide.

Condition: Very fine.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stam...

No two faces are the same on this incredible Toyoraku ceramic stacking box covered in gold and silver Maki-e lacquer dating from the 19th century. Inside is typical Oribe style green over crackled cream colored glaze with floral designs in iron. Outside lightning strikes in silver separate the multitude of intense lattice designs in fine gold lines on black lacquer. Stacked they are 15 x 13 x 17 cm, each vessel 15 x 13 x 4.5cm tall, and in excellent condition.
The Toyoraku tradition be...

A beautiful rendering of a Lohan Monk, Ming Dynasty or slightly earlier, 13th.-15th. century AD.

An excarvated head carved in very hard and dense black stone, in the round with oversized ears and pronounced arched eyebrows and downcast eyes. The head superbly polished, still with traces of the ancient carving methods and a deeply encrusted or embedded earthern patina.

The head is mounted on a modern and very attractive black marple base.

Size: 23 cm. tall when ...

Chinese Qing dynasty Kangxi marked baluster form cabinet vase densely decorated in underglaze blue on a white porcelain ground with four vertical rectangular landscape panels surrounded by a background of flowers floating on water. Geometric bands at the top rim. Slightly flared base and unglazed stepped foot. A robust and well executed six-character kaishu Kangxi period mark in a double ring is on the glazed base. 6 3/4" high. Possibly of the period and no later than circa 1900. Very good...

The deity is represented seated surrounded by his multiple arms holding various attributes. Excellent quality of sculpture, on its skull multiple small heads (10+1) pegged, pretty draping, beautiful facial expression, the eyes and the third frontal eye in glass or rock crystal. Thick, solid lacquer, beautiful gilding. Avalokitesvara wears all her jewelry. Complete set with its glory and its original base. Japan Edo period 18° or before. This statuette has fortunately never been restored, and i...

Chinese Qing dynasty Yongzheng to Qianlong period deep dish decorated in underglaze blue on a white porcelain ground with a long scaled four-clawed dragon at the center front extending over the rim from the reverse to chase a flaming pearl among clouds. According to Wang Qingzheng in “A Dictionary of Chinese Ceramics,” this style of decoration where the design begins in the interior and wraps “over the wall” to continue onto the exterior (or vice versa) emerged in the Ming dynasty and f...

Large fragment of a Greek red figure Crater, c. 4th. cent. BC.

Figural decoration with part of a female.

Size: c. 15 cm. long and 8 cm. wide.

Ex. Old private Collection, comes with COA from Clive Sawyer 'Antiquities and Ancient Coins'

A rare late Edo Period (19th cent) Shishi Lion Foo Dog Statue made of iron rich Bizen clay, wood fired in an Anagama kiln.

Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as "lion” but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. This mythical beast was probably introduced to Japan from China via Korean in the 7th or 8th century AD, during the same period as Buddhism’s transmission to Japan, for the Japanese shishi combines elements of both the...

Unusual grey pottery jar from the syncretic Buddhist Dali Kingdom circa 982CE–1253CE, which was located in present day Yunnan. The Dali State was not fully absorbed into the Chinese Empire until the Ming Dynasty, although it did accept Mongol control and were by and large allowed to manage their own affairs as long as they contributed soldiers. This jar has mysterious animal appliqued faces well as Buddhist images set against peepul tree leaves (Bodhi Tree). This is in good condition with ...

Two Kome-bukuro (rice bag) made of cotton fragments which are hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye. They are stripes, kasuri and fine katazome (stencil-resist dye). Both have writing with sumi, Echizenya, the shop's name and "Hane" which is located in Shimane prefecture facing to the Japan Sea. Kome-bukuro was used when people dedicated rice or grains to temples or shrines. Both are in excellent condition, bags and strings. 19th to early 20th century. Large one:31cm x 27cm, Small one:23cm x 27cm

Rice bag made of hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye cotton fragments which are kasuri, katazome (stencil-resist dye) stripes etc. It was used when people dedicated rice or other grains to temples or shrines. It has beautiful fine katazome cotton cloth for lining. In good condition but string in the hem is damaged and cord for binding is lost. 19th to early 20th century. W:37cm, H:27.5cm

A finely preserved small inscribed foundation cylinder, Neo-Babylonian Empire, c. 8th-6th. century BC.

The barrel shaped piece fully inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform. Untranslated but such cylinders usually has been attributed to Nebucadnezzar II, 604-562 B.C. They were stuck into buidings walls and is often long texts with praises to the builder and the gods, usually a king, just like foundation bricks.

Size: 60 mm. long and c. 25-26 mm. thick.

Condition: Good ...