Catalog (33)

A wonderful group of previously unlisted ancient seal and jewelry rings, inc. Roman, darkage, Byzantine and Islamic types, c. 400-1000 AD.

These ring would sell for an average of $75+, but we're combining them in one dealers lot. The selection consists of: - Three lovely and still wearable Islamic domed bezel silver rings - one with arabesqe design / infinity symbol engraved in the bezel, early types!

Several Roman bronze rings, two of which has original intaglio seals in ...

Interesting and attractive gold Quatrefoil openwork pendant with small loop at one side and an engraved cross in the center, Roman-Darkage c. 4th.-6th. cent. BC.

A heavy hanger, very attractive. The gold is almost pure and around 22 carats or so. The central cross was deliberately erased at one point in antiquity, which could have been done by pagans / romans in the late antiquity.

Size: 19-20 mm. in diameter and weighing a solid 3.45 grams.

Ex. West German Priva...

A nice wearable solid silver ring with monogram, Byzantine Empire, c. 700-900 AD.

Ring size: c. 19 mm. and round, weighing 5,68 grams. Solid silver.

Ex. German private collection since 1990. Comes with our COA and hard imprint.

Am interesting ready made collection of 18 pottery oil lamps around c. 4th - 7th century AD.

Collection of Late Antiquity clay lamps. Eastern Mediterranean and biblical! Among them a scarce and beautiful frog lamp (length 8,7cm). 19 pieces!

Condition: F-VF, Weathered and with some smaller missing fragments, overall well preserved.

Ex. 1970-1980s collection.

The scarce figural forpart of an early medieval bronze cross encolpion, Byzantine, c. 8th. cent. BC.

The cross decorated with Virgin Mary holding child Jesus, with portraits on each arm of the cross. Loop at the top, and thus wearable.

Size: 91 x 66 mm.

Condition: Nicely preserved obverse part of the Encolpion, smooth wear from use and nice dark green patina.

Ex German Private Collection.

Interesting and rare bronze bell, perhaps from a a church or monastery, Early Byzantine c. 8th.-10th. century.

The wide Bell with a solid loop and inscribed all the way around the body with: O AΓHOC BΛACHOC=The Saint Blaise.

Diameter: 7,2 cm. and c. 6 cm. tall.

Blaise of Sebaste in Latin: Blasius (martyred 316 AD) was a physician and bishop of Sebastea in historical Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He is c...

Interesting solid silver Encolpion cross with loop Early European, probably Lombard Kingdom, c. 7th.-8th. century.

The cross engraved with a standing nimbate figure holding a crucifix in his left hand, and on the reberse another small nimbate figure; No less than four Cross pattées, and the symbols of the Sun and the Moon on the reverse as well.

A Byzantine type, but a very unusual decoration which points to Darkage Europe and probably the Kingdom of the Lombards, who inv...

A high quality Greek icon from the secluded Monastery of Athos, Greece, sealed and dated 1892.

Icon with Hodegetria. Tempera on chalk ground. Wooden panel. Gilded nimbs, ancient Greek inscriptions. Rare light colouring and with the wonderful makers seal of the Athos Monastery on reverse, recessed into the wood.

Height 22,2cm, width 17,9cm.

Condition: Choice Very fine for the type, craquelure in places, slight superficial signs of age and wear.

Ol...

Fine and rare oval icon depicting the Holy Trinity on a band of clouds with globe and angels. Russian Empire in the fine Byzantine style, c. early-mid 19th century.

Tempera on chalk ground. Thin wooden panel with gilded background and nimbs. Very accomplished depiction with lavish gold. A piece of art.

Height 27,3cm, width 12,6cm.

Condition: Good Very fine, only light gold abrasion and slight signs of use due to age.

Ex West-German Private Collection...

An interesting and high attractive large carved ivory spindle whorl, finely decorated with bulls eyes, Byzantine or Sasanian, probably Egypt workshop, 3rd.-7th. cent. AD.

Size: 45 mm. in diameter, so an impressive carving in hand!

Condition: Good Very fine, unusually well-preserved with a fine darker patina.

For almost similar specimens, see for example Metropolitan Museum Accession Number: 10.130.2530 (Atribb. to Egypt)

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer ...

Interesting cross hanger, carved in a dark steatite stone, with white slip or glazing. The white cross form is inlaid with another red cross form in sandstone or ceramics and done with an extra cross bar. Christian Egypt, 100-500 AD, probably Coptic.

Size: 11,7 cm. tall and 9,7 cm. wide.

Condition: Choice and intact with wear to the white glaze and extensive patination.

Ex. Old Danish Estate collection

A highly attractive massive finger ring with a high round bezel, with elaborate cross design, Byzantine, c. 10th. cent.

Interesting hexagonal shape of the ring itself.

Size: The ring is 30 mm. tall, and the ringsize is c. 19 mm.

Condition: Extremely fine for this type, of exceptionally metal, very sharp and wearable. Brown patina.

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

An interesting collection of 22 metal and stone antiquities dating from c. 1st mill BC to Byzantine / Medieval period.

Lot consist of 5 spindlewhorls - 4 with decorations - three in lead and two in ceramic. 15 tokens and weights in bronze and lead and finally two bronze dices.

Sizes up to 23-25 mm.

Ex. Hafnia Coins stock, bought in Denmark in the late 1990s.

Large bronze cross pendant in a hollow style with two halfs put together.

Likely Eastern Europe, 12th.-14th. century AD.

Size: c. 38 mm. quite heavy.

Ex. Hafnia Coins stock, bought in Denmark in the late 1990s.

A solid substantial Byzantine silver seal ring, early medieval style, 10th.-12th. cent. AD.

These rather solid attractive rings were made from around the 10th.-12th. century, this ring is likely Byzantine to judge from the design of the Bezel. Nice and attractive in the typical lower grade silver. Wearable!

Innder diameter: 19-20 mm. / weight: 13 grams

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 198...

A better, very finely made bronze stamp seal with remnants from ancient gilt, Byzantine Empire, 5th - 8th Century AD.

With tall handle, shaped as an open Bell with a loop. The base finely engraved with a cute horned animal.

Size: 21 mm. tall.

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 stamp ...

A very atractive bronze seal ring with two confronting figures, probably angels, standing, Late Roman-Byzantine, 4th.-6th. century AD.

The ring of a typical Roman design with raised shoulders and oval bezel.

Ringsize (inner diameter): 19 mm.

Condition: Good Very fine, attractive museum style cleaning and preservation. Fully wearable and strong!

Comes with the original collection ID-Card from the Oberländer collection!

Provenance: Gustav Ob...

A nice domed hemispheric bronze stamp seal with high handle, Byzantine, 9th.-11th. cent.

The engraving deep and artfully made.

Size: 2,2 cm. tall.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stamp seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, ...

A wonderful and intact inscribed stone slab or stele, Visigothic reign of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal), c. 5th.-6th. century AD.

This white stone carving was possibly made for funerary purposes and represent the early style in Gothic stonework, where the inspiration from the Roman era was profound, but still combined with the wonderful Visigothic elements. The stele with three spikes at the top, like the roof of a church or house, in the center an engraved wheel-like element and b...

A larger for type Late Roman - Byzantine bronze bell, 4th.-8th. century AD.

Heavy walls and with finely patinated surface with green-brown patina. Very nice sound and would have been used for religious purposes.

Size: 8,3 cm. tall and 7 cm. wide, weighing 228 grams.

Ex. Private Collection, aquired before 1980.

A lovely seal of hard burnt pottery, depicted the bust of a knight with helmet and chainmail, ca. 7th.-10th. century AD.

Interesting depiction and likely Islamic but could be Byzantine as well.

Size: 6,8 cm. in diameter.

Condition: Superb for the fragile type with preserved handle at the back.

Ex. Old Private collection, 1895-1973.

A fine decorated bronze beaker, late Roman or Byzantine, ca. 5th.-8th. century AD.

The beaker with a high foot and conical shape as typical for late Roman and early medieval types; it's decorated with concenthric lines in the upperpart and slots that looks like key-holes on the lower part.

Size: 4,5 cm.

Condition: Intact, with attractive green patina.

A fine group of ancient pottery oil lamps, Later Roman to Byzantine periods, ca. 3rd.-6th. century AD.

Group consists of a 86 mm. long Roman lamp, 2nd.-3rd. cent. AD, a small round terracotta type, quite rare, 70 mm. long, likely Early Roman (?) and a larger Holyland type, Palestine ca. 6th. century AD. with ribbed corpus (damage to mouth), 95 mm.

A nice lot for one price!

Ex. Private collection, since 1960s.

An interesting large Roman-Late Roman bronze Oil Lamp, ca. 3rd.-5th. century AD:

The lamp round with two arrow-shaped nozzles / spouts and a lid.

Size: Max 11,5 cm. incl. nozzles.

Condition: Fine, fractured at one side and lid repaired. Nice green patina.

Ex. Hirsch Auctions, old private collection.

Beautiful Byzantine silver ring, ca. 10th.-12th. century AD.

The ring very attractive with a high set bezel with an elaborate cross design.

Condition: Choice and wearable.

Ring-size: c. 15 mm.

Ex. Collection of a German Goldsmith, 1960-1995.

A nice and rare pottery lamp of a late Roman / Byzantine type, with inscriptions on the body, ca. 5th.-7th. century AD.

Interesting and intact lamp with only minor wear and small chips.

Size: 9 cm.

Condition: Choice and intact.

Private US Collection 1974-1994.

An large and exceptional bronze oil lamp with handle in shape of a leaf and pyramid-shaped, pierced lid. Byzantine, 5th - 6th century A.D.

The lamp is finely engraved and well built. A substantial and very elegant bronze lap with beautifully patinated surfaces. Interestingly, an openwork lid was chosen for it in antiquity, perhaps since it became to hot with a closed tight lid, due to the large size and construction.

Size: c. 16,5 cm. long and 6,4 cm. tall.

...

A lovely large bronze ring of the Byzantine and early Islamic type, 6th.-8th. cent. AD.

The ring with a thick ring and oval bezel, which is engraved with an interesting relief engraving of structures or perhaps an ancient form of writing.

Ring-Size: 21-22 mm. Weight: 12.67 grams.

Condition: Superb! Very attractive dark green patina.

Ex. Collection of a German Goldsmith, 1960-1995.

A large pendant (?) usage unknown, but perhaps verification or ownership, Byzantine, 5th.-7th. century AD.

A lead pendant (amulet?) in form of a round disc with bar and monogram and greek letters.

Massive piece weighing 43,8 grams and 4,1 cm. long.

Ex. German Private Collection, 1925-1979.

A massive and rare excarvated bronze vessel, likely for the storage of liquids, Byzantine, 6th.-9th. century AD.

Horisontically ribbed body and carinated vertically ribbed shoulder with funnel mouth.

Made in solid metal in a fine vase-like shape, with holes for attaching it to chains. A utility vessel, used for containing foods or liquids.

Size: 34-35 cm. wide and around 35,5 cm. tall, weight 4,2 kilograms - a HUGE piece for this early vessel!

Condit...

Interesting set of three large flower-shaped or bell- shaped pendants, Byzantine, ca. 600-900 AD.

The three pendants attached with smaller ancient rings to a larger ring, also ancient.

Size: ca. 6,5 cm. in length, weighing 22,58 grams!

Ex R.T. Private collection, since 1958 in Münich, Germany.

A rare and important silver spoon of exceptional size for type, Late Roman-Early Byzantine, 4th.-6th. century AD.

A wonderful silverspoon, dating to the late Roman period, 3rd.-5th. century AD.

The spoon with an oval bowl, a twisted shaft and terminal.

Size: 20,7 cm.

Condition: Choice, nice metal for type, uncleaned. Two small ancient perferations to the bowl, othervise perfectly intact.

Ex. Old German Collection originally bought in Engl...

A nice lot of three Early Byzantine bronze weights, dating to the early Byzantine period, later 1st. millenium BC.

The weights are all inscribed with letters and nicely patinated. The weights are: 79,1 grams (large!), 45 grams and 16,16 grams.

Provenance: Birgit og Bent Wolstrup Collection