Join London’s Apollo Art Auctions for a special November 17 e-sale of exquisite ancient art, cultural relics, weapons and jewelry

Featured: Gilded Merovingian (400-600 AD) longsword, Medieval iron helm with eye-slits & breathing holes, Arabian alabaster figure of monk, rich gold Viking pendant, Greek glass, Apulian pottery

LONDON – Hundreds of exciting buying opportunities await collectors of ancient art and cultural relics at Apollo Art Auctions’ November 17 e-sale. The expertly-curated selection includes authentic, well-provenanced artifacts from Classical Europe through Egypt and the Near East, as well as fascinating treasures from India, China and the Islamic world. Apollo makes the auction process pleasurable and easy for international bidders by accepting payments in US dollars, British pounds sterling or euro and handling all packing in-house prior to shipment. Bid securely online through Apollo Live, including via their free app; or through any of three other bidding platforms.

Heavy metal isn’t just a music genre; it’s also one of the most consistently popular categories in Apollo’s sales, year round. Two lots rise to the top of metal offerings in the November event, starting with an elegant edged weapon from the era of the Merovingian Dynasty. The circa 400-600 AD longsword has a double-edged blade with an extremely shallow fuller (groove or slot) and sharp tip. Its bronze crossguard and wood handle are highly decorated with gold leaf, and its large stone pommel is secured by a gold- and glass-adorned end cap. A long trail of provenance indicates it was most recently the property of a European collector, who acquired it on the English art market in 2016; preceded by the collection of T. R., who obtained it in 2000. Prior to that, it was part of the private British collection of Mr. W. L., whose ownership began in 1965. Bidding on this exceptional weapon will open at £12,000 ($15,562).

Dating to circa 1300-1400 AD, a riveted iron great helm was designed with a distinctive barrel-like shape specifically intended to protect a knight’s whole head in combat. Helmets were important elements of medieval knightly armor, and it is known that they often were included on funerary monuments. The compelling visage on the auction example has rectangular slits for vision and rows of holes, called “breaths,” for ventilation. Similar to an example in the collection of The Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin, the helm’s line of provenance includes a Central London gallery; a European collector; and the collection of Ing Peter Till, which was formed in 1980s Vienna. Its opening bid is £10,000 ($12,968).

Human figurative art has been dated to as far back as 41,000 years ago and Europe’s cave-dwelling Cro-Magnon artists. Over the millennia, images of people and animals have consistently been associated with every major documented culture. A fascinating South Arabian artwork in the auction is a circa 300 BC to 100 AD alabaster figure of a man – most likely a priest – garbed in a long, tight-fitting tunic. The figure stands on an integral base with two registers, each displaying a line of South Arabic text. An important piece, it is similar to an example that was entered in Sotheby’s December 7, 2021 Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art Auction, Part I. It stands 380mm (15in) high and weighs 5.3kg (11lbs 11oz). Tracing its line of provenance, it came to Apollo Art Auctions from a London collector and, prior to that, was in a private collection in Shrewsbury, England. The figure will convey with a historical report from Alessandro Neri, a respected international cultural heritage expert based in Florence, Italy. The opening bid is £8,000 ($10,375).

Another exceptional figurative artwork is a TL-tested Chinese Tang Dynasty terracotta horse captured in a dramatic pose, stretching its head upward and baring its teeth as though emitting a neigh through curled lips. Molded in a naturalized manner, its body is painted mainly with red pigments, with details such as a mane, tail, saddle cloth and saddle. A Thermo-Luminescence analysis undertaken by Ralf Kotalla precisely dated the sculpture to 619-906 AD. That report will convey to the winning bidder. The feisty equine measures 690mm by 645mm (27.2in by 25.39in) and weighs 12.3kg (27lbs 2oz). Its provenance includes a UK private collection; and acquisition by a former owner in the early 1990s in Hong Kong. Opening bid: £3,000 ($3,891)

Ancient Mediterranean art is led by a circa 100 BC to 100 AD Greek pale yellow cut-glass skyphos with tapering vertical walls and integral ring handles formed between plates. After casting, this handsome, well-balanced vessel was lathe-cut and polished, with a resulting size of 155mm by 85mm (6.1in by 3.35in). Prior to its inclusion in Apollo’s November 17 auction, it was the property of a European collector who acquired it on the European art market pre-2000. Opening bid: £8,000 ($10,375)

A rare circa 350-300 BC Apulian red-figure pottery bell krater measuring 270mm by 320mm (10.6in by 12.6in) is beautifully painted with a different scene on each side. Side A depicts a seated Nike with outstretched wings, holding a large mirror in front of woman wearing a long chiton, while Side B is a possible temple scene depicting two men resting on sticks and wearing long robes. This attractive piece of decorative art measures 270mm by 320mm (10.6in by 12.6in) and weighs 1.8kg (4lbs). Notably, a similar example sold at Christie’s on December 9, 2008. Its provenance includes a private UK collection and prior acquisition on the Dutch art market (Frederik Van Driel, Maastricht 1993). Opening bid: £2,000 ($2,594)

Top jewelry selections include a striking circa 500-800 AD Byzantine solid gold cameo ring whose gold bezel secures a square banded agate cameo with the symbol of the CHI-RO inside a round laurel crown. A similar example can be seen in J. Spier’s 2012 reference Byzantium and the West: Jewelry in the First Millennium, No. 14. Most recently with a London gallery, it was previously acquired on the Monaco art market; and was part of a French collection from the 1970s. Opening bid: £4,000 ($5,187)

With the popularity of Viking jewelry being what it is, strong competition is expected for a gold filigree pendant in the shape of Odin’s head. It is an extremely well-detailed object, with beading employed to form the facial features and hair. A square adorned projection at its top serves as a suspension loop. The pendant’s weight is 10.66g. It became the property of a London ancient art gallery after residing in a private collection that was formed 1965-1975. Bidding will open at £2,000 ($2,594).

Apollo Art Auctions’ Ancient Art & Antiquities e-sale will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2024 starting at 8AM US Eastern Time / 1PM GMT. Preview online at https://apolloauctions.com. Bid live online through Apollo Live, LiveAuctioneers, The Saleroom, or Invaluable. For those on the go, bid through Apollo Art Auctions’ app, which is free to download from the App Store or Google Play. In-person previews are available by appointment only. Gallery address: 63-64 Margaret St., London W1W S8W. For questions regarding any item in the auction or to make an appointment to preview goods, please call or email +44 7424 994167 or email [email protected]. Apollo accepts payments in GBP, USD and EUR. White-glove in-house packing and worldwide shipping. Note: No import charges are assessed on most antiquities sent to the United States.