Apollo Art Auctions’ popular e-sale series returns Aug. 24-25 with precious coins, ancient art & antiquities

Featured: Exemplary gold and silver Roman, Greek and Byzantine coins; rare cultural art, relics and weaponry from Classical Europe, Egypt, the Near East, India and China plus fine Islamic pieces

LONDON – Some of history’s most fascinating artifacts have passed through the doors of Apollo Art Auctions’ elegant Central London gallery. On August 24 and 25, in an online-only format, a fresh selection of precious coins, ancient art and antiquities will continue Apollo’s tradition of offering only the finest authentic examples of material culture from important civilizations. The opening session of the two-day event includes a bounty of exceptional coins from the Roman Empire, Greek and Byzantine periods; while day two of the e-sale features art treasures and antiquities of Classical Europe, Egypt, the Near East, India, China and the Islamic world. Each item has been rigorously vetted by a top specialist from Apollo’s team of experts. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

Numismatists, whether advanced or beginners, will have 377 lots from which to choose, with coveted gold coins leading the selection. A circa 337-361 AD Constantius II, Caesar Constantius, Thessalonica AV (gold) solidus weighing 4.61g shows a diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of a right-facing Constantius on the obverse. The reverse depicts the distinguished ruler standing left and holding a scepter and vexillum, with two signa to his right. It will open for bidding at £1,000 ($1,276).

A stunning circa 311-300 BC Kings of Macedon, Alexander III “The Great” (336-323 BC) gold coin was struck under Seleukos I Nikator of Babylon. On its obverse, the coin portrays Athena facing right and wearing a Corinthian helmet adorned with a griffin on the bowl, plus a pendant earring and pearl necklace. The reverse shows Nike standing left with wings spread, holding a laurel wreath and stylus. This coin weighs 8.54g and will open at £1,000 ($1,276).

A circa 310-311 BC Kings of Macedon Antigonos I Monophthalmos, AS Strategos of Asia (320-303/5 BC) silver coin displays on its obverse a well-detailed head of Herakles facing right and wearing a lionskin headdress with paws tied before the neck. On the flip side of the coin, Zeus is shown seated on his throne facing left and holding an eagle and long scepter. A weighty 17.26g, this specimen requires an opening bid of £1,000 ($1,276). 

Another silver highlight is the circa 430-390 BC Macedon, Akanthos, AR (silver) tetradrachm weighing 14g and adorned on its obverse with the image of a lion with its head upraised, attacking a bull. The reverse is nicely decorated with a quadripartite square with granulated raised fields, all within an incuse square. Bidders are referred to the example shown in the reference book Les Tetradrachmes d’Akanthos by J Desneux. The opening bid is £800 ($1,021).

For eye appeal, it would be hard to beat the military mint Julius Caesar circa April-August 49 BC “Travelling with Caesar” AR (silver) denarius. The eye-catching imagery on its obverse includes an elephant advancing right and trampling on a horned serpent with the word “CAESAR” in the exergue (space below image). A bevy of emblems of the pontificate, including a simpulum, aspergillum, securis and apex, appear on the reverse. The coin requires an opening bid of £500 ($638).

The August 25 session featuring 583 lots of ancient art and antiquities includes many dozens of exceptional Egyptian treasures. One of the top prizes is a painted limestone false door belonging to Itet, priestess of the goddess Hathor and lady of the royal court dating to the period from the end of the Old Kingdom to the beginning of the First Intermediary Period, circa 2181-2160 BC. It is beautifully decorated and inscribed with Itet’s titles and name, as well as formulae to the gods Anubis and Ptah-Sokar in favor of the deceased. The auction example is similar to one in the MET Museum’s collection. Its distinguished provenance reveals it was most recently with a London collector and, before that, a Mayfair (London) family. Prior to that, it was the property of a London professor, in the late 1970s. The relic will convey to its new owner with a report from Simone Musso, a consultant curator for Egyptian antiquities at the Stibber Museum, Florence, Italy; and member of the Nuri Archaeological Expedition. The opening bid is set at £8,000 ($10,205).

An Egyptian bronze dagger of unusual design has an arched guard alongside a pointed blade that tapers to a tip, with an elaborate openwork pommel that flares to secure an oval openwork bone terminal. The weapon dates to the timeframe from the Middle Kingdom to Second Intermediate Period, circa 2055-1640 BC. Like the aforementioned false door of Itet, the dagger is similar to an example held in the MET Museum’s collection. Its size is 310mm by 60mm (12.2in by 2.4in and it weighs 250g. Most recently owned by an Oxfordshire art professional, it was previously in an old Ontario, Canada, collection that was formed in the 1980s. It comes with an expert historical report from Alessandro Neri of Florence, Italy, and will open to bidding at £3,000 ($3,827)

Ancient weapons of war comprise a consistently popular category within Apollo Art Auctions’ list of specialties. On August 25, there’s sure to be strong competition for a circa 500-400 BC Chalcidian helmet of hammered tinned bronze. Its form was initially depicted on pottery believed to have derived from the Euboean (ancient Greek) city of Chalcis. Its details include curved cheekpieces, a very short teardrop-shape nose guard, and open curves to its sides, which were designed to improve battlefield communication. The helmet is similar to an example that sold at Christie’s live auction #1679. It has a lengthy line of London and Continental European provenance that dates back to the Belgian F Breydel collection of the 1970s. It will convey to the winning bidder with an expert historical report from Alessandro Neri. Opening bid: £4,000 ($5,103)

Mediterranean pottery will open the second session, with high-quality Apulian, Attic, Villanovan, Faliscan, and Etrusco-Corinthian vessels amongst the offerings. A rare circa 350-300 BC Apulian red-figure pottery bell krater has been identified as a product of the Como Group. Side A is painted with a scene of two men in tunics, conversing inside the temple of Dionysus. Side B of the program depicts a naked youth, likely Dionysus, standing before an altar and holding a long thyrsus; and Maenad, who also holds a thyrsus. It measures 390mm by 365mm (15.4in by 14.37in) and is similar to an example sold by Christie’s on December 9, 2008. Its line of UK and Continental European provenance traces back to 1982. Accompanied by an expert historical report from Alessandro Neri, it will open for bidding at £2,000 ($2,551).

Collectors of ancient jewelry may be assured that a first-class selection of rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets and jeweled rings will await them in Apollo’s August 25 session. Just one of the many appealing options is a circa 300-100 BCA Hellenistic gold ring designed with a large hexagonal multi-level bezel centered with a rich red cabochon. It weighs 24.4g and comes with an authentication report by ancient jewelry specialist Sami Fortune. Opening bid: £2,000 ($2,551)

Apollo Art Auctions’ Saturday/Sunday, August 24-25, 2024 Ancient Coins, Art and Antiquities Auction, an online-only event with bidding through LiveAuctioneers, will commence on both days at 7 a.m. US Eastern Time/12 noon GMT. Apollo accepts payments in GBP, USD and EUR; and ships worldwide. No import charges are assessed on most antiquities sent to the United States. All packing is handled in-house by white-gloved specialists. Questions: Please call +44 7424 994167 or email [email protected]. Visit Apollo Art Auctions online at www.apolloauctions.com