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.

Coins

Roma owner arrested in coin false provenance probe

20 March 2023

Richard Beale, the owner and managing director of London coin auction house Roma Numismatics, has been arrested in New York in connection with the sale of a record-breaking classical coin.

Babylon brick

Not just another brick in the wall: a Babylonian memento emerges at Essex auction

27 February 2023

This 13 x 13in (33 x 33cm) brick is from the walls of Babylon and dates from 604-562BC.

Ryedale Hoard

Treasure Act strengthened so more antiquities finds can be bought by museums

22 February 2023

The government is updating the Treasure Act so that important finds that are not part of the current legal definition can be more easily bought by museums.

Bust of Antoninus Pius

Getty Museum applies for export licence for Roman bust bought at London auction

14 February 2023

The Getty Museum has agreed to acquire an ancient Roman marble bust which was sold at auction in London.

Cameo collection

Dutch museum buys huge Content collection of cameos put together over four decades

13 February 2023

A huge collection of cameos bought by the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) will now go on display at the museum in Leiden.

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Wife of megalomaniac emperor

13 February 2023

To one side of this gold aureus struck in Rome in 180-83 is a sensually draped portrait of the goddess Venus.

Tudor pendant

Metal detecting trend boosts Treasure finds in the UK

31 January 2023

Enthusiastic metal detectorists discovered 96% of archaeological and Treasure finds, according to the latest report.

Egyptian limestone relief

UK museum sought for Egyptian limestone relief depicting women musicians in pharaoh’s palace

25 January 2023

A limestone relief depicting a group of female musicians in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten has been temporarily blocked from export.

Diocletian gold 10 aurei coin

Roman medallion masterpiece claims imperial coin record

23 January 2023

A spectacular Roman gold medallion took a record price at the latest New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC).

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Dodecahedron remains a mystery

23 January 2023

Roman dodecahedra continue to baffle after more than two-and-a-half centuries of study.

Roman emperor Antoninus Pius

Dramatic contest for emperor’s head at Sotheby's auction

12 December 2022

A bust of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius sold for more than ten-times its low estimate at a Sotheby's sale

Ozengell Hoard

Anglo-Saxon hoard bought by Kent Archaeological Society ahead of London auction

27 October 2022

A large group of c.6-7th century Anglo-Saxon artefacts, known as the Ozengell Hoard, have been bought by Kent Archaeological Society.

Marble head

Met museum hands back looted artefacts

12 September 2022

Twenty-seven looted artefacts seized from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art have been returned to Italy and Egypt as part of longrunning investigations by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit.

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Alexander’s distater – the spoils of conquest

12 September 2022

Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Achaemenid empire delivered into his hands a vast wealth.

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5 Questions: antiquities dealer Rolf van Kiaer

29 August 2022

Rolf van Kiaer runs web-based antiquities dealership Helios Gallery with Samantha Neal.

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Dealer Wace takes his shows on the road after gallery closure

22 August 2022

Different way of operating involves exhibitions, some non-commercial, in a variety of premises.

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Roman marble busts from the Finches

22 August 2022

On November 9-10 Sworders will conduct an auction of objects from the collection of pioneering dealer Jan Ellen Finch (1952-2021) of Finch & Co.

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Egyptian visions in exhibitions

22 August 2022

Time for some 21st century Egyptomania: this year marks 200 years since Jean-François Champollion deciphered hieroglyphs and a century since Howard Carter uncovered Tutankhamun’s tomb.

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Egyptian bronze figure of Isis offered in Salisbury auction

22 August 2022

The Woolley & Wallis sale in Salisbury on September 21 titled Arts of Africa, Oceania and he Americas includes a small section of antiquities.

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On the zigzag trail

22 August 2022

TimeLine Auctions’ Antiquities sale includes a dozen good examples of Roman glass including this 3rd-5th century unguentarium with zigzag trail decoration.

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