Greek, Roman, Egyptian & Other Antiquities

The antiquities market comprises artefacts and works of art made by ancient civilisations including statues, coins, jewellery and arms and armour.

Provenance is one of the most important considerations when trading in this sector as there is a long history of looting from archaeological sites.

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Brutus strikes again – a £2.7m classical coin record

16 November 2020

Roma Numismatics set a new record for a classical coin when a Brutus Eid Mar-type gold aureus, struck shortly after the murder of Julius Caesar, took £2.7m in London.

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Rare glazed 14th century tiles to be returned to Uzbekistan with help from the British Museum and UK Border Force

13 October 2020

A collection of glazed tiles believed to be 14th century examples from a memorial complex near Samarkand are to be returned to Uzbekistan.

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Rare Sumerian plaque to return to Iraq with help of British Museum

30 September 2020

A 4000-year-old limestone sculpture is to go on temporary display before returning to Iraq.

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Antiquities: The impressive body of bidders at ancient art auctions

14 September 2020

Not just whole figures but parts such as feet and hands are sought after by collectors in the antiquities market, as evident at a vast six-day auction in Essex

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Greek terracotta goddess doubles estimate at Christie's

14 September 2020

This exceptionally preserved Greek terracotta seated goddess retaining much of its stylised red slip decoration emerged as one of the highlights of the summer antiquities sales in London.

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Mosaic fragments ‘from a Roman villa’ sell in Bristol

14 September 2020

Consigned from a private deceased estate, a group of decorative mosaic floor tile fragments took a multi-estimate £2200 at Clevedon Salerooms (22% buyer’s premium) in Bristol.

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Group lot contained a Samian surprise

14 September 2020

Unearthed in a group lot at Lindsay Burns (20% buyer’s premium) in Perth, this Roman marbled Samian ware bowl is believed to closely relate to another in the British Museum.

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Egyptian bronze falcon sarcophagus emerges in Salisbury auction

14 September 2020

A dozen lots of Greek, Roman and Egyptian artefacts once owned by Ferdinand Mainzer (1871-1943), a German-Jewish gynaecologist turned historical author, will open Woolley & Wallis’ tribal art and antiquities auction in Salisbury on September 22.

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Hellenistic gold bracelets offered in Bavaria

14 September 2020

This elegant pair of finely worked early Hellenistic gold bracelets featuring a rather sympathetic and graceful rendering of the snake-haired gorgon Medusa are believed to have been made by a courtly goldsmith workshop during the 4th-3rd century BC.

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Egyptian mask comes to Somerset auction

14 September 2020

This Egyptian polychrome painted wood sarcophagus mask comes from the lid of an anthropoid coffin. These were coffins carved to the outline of the mummy’s body and decorated with the face and wig of the deceased.

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Dealers sell Egyptian statue from Thomas Cook collection to City of Leicester for £150,000

17 August 2020

An ancient Egyptian granite statue has been sold to the City of Leicester from the collection of travel business Thomas Cook in a deal negotiated by London dealers Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch.

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Metal detectorist discovery of remains of 3000-year-old harness gives new insight into Bronze Age Scotland

13 August 2020

A discovery made by metal detectorists has been described as of national significance for archaeology.

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‘First signature’ tablet hits the £140,000 mark at Bloomsbury Auctions

13 July 2020

A US collector is the new owner of a 5000-year-old tablet that contains the earliest-known record of any personal name in history.

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PAD and Coinex fairs are latest to call off autumn events

10 July 2020

Two more stagings of London fairs have been cancelled due to Covid-19.

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Archaeological discoveries made by the public reach 1.5 million

09 July 2020

The number of archaeological objects unearthed by the British public since the start of The British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) has reached 1.5 million items.

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Government issues export bar for Roman marble Celtic hounds in hope of finding UK buyer

08 July 2020

The owner of a pair of Celtic hounds has been temporarily prevented from exporting the sculptures by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

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Roman altar stands out among highlights of revamped art week

06 July 2020

More than 400 online enquiries came through the 'London Art Week' (LAW) website during its preview day last Thursday as it kicked off a new virtual format.

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The show goes on: London Art Week galleries open doors for a modified event

02 July 2020

An impressive Roman funerary altar is among the highlights at London Art Week (LAW), which promises to have much life starting with a preview day on July 2 and opening to the public on July 3.

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Jewels of the Egyptian 12th Dynasty emerge in Cambridge sale

29 June 2020

Archaeological discoveries were a continuous source of inspiration for jewellery in the 19th century. Ancient goldsmithing techniques were studied and relearned. Jewels found during excavations of Roman, Egyptian, Hellenistic and particularly Etruscan sites were copied or reinterpreted.

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Overall total at Christie’s Classic Week falls as sales pushed back until the autumn

25 June 2020

The postponement of three top-end paintings and objects sales meant that the overall total generated by Christie’s latest ‘Classic Week’ in New York was well down on previous years.

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