TimeLine’s June 4-8 Ancient Art, Antiquities, Natural History & Coins Auction unveils spellbinding relics of earliest civilizations

Featured: Monumental Apulian red-figure volute krater attributed to Licurgus Painter, sculpted head of Gaius Caesar Vipsanianus; Byzantine fresco panel; inscribed Egyptian shabti with old provenance

HARWICH, Essex, UK – With a history that dates back to a legendary gem and fossil dealership founded in 1858, TimeLine Auctions proudly continues that long and illustrious tradition as the world’s foremost auctioneers of ancient art and antiquities. Their fascinating sales, held four times a year, offer an impeccably curated array of material, each piece notable for its quality, authenticity and historical importance. TimeLine’s next auction, slated for June 4-8, offers an exciting new selection to its worldwide following of collectors, all of whom have the option of bidding at the gallery, by phone, absentee, or live online. As an extra courtesy to potential bidders, videos of many auction lots may be viewed on TimeLine Auctions’ website.  

Throughout the sale, there is a strong emphasis on the appreciation of each society’s contributions to material culture. TimeLine Auctions’ Chief Operating Officer, Aaron Hammond, observed: “Owning ancient art is a truly beautiful experience. Each piece embodies unique craftsmanship, meticulously created by hand. These artifacts are not just objects; they are windows into the lives of people who lived thousands of years ago. The intricate details and artistry reflect the skills and stories of past civilizations, offering us invaluable insights into their cultures and daily lives. They inspire us to appreciate our shared human heritage and the enduring legacy of creativity and innovation.” 

Even collectors at the connoisseur level would want to make room for heads of state – or stately heads – like the ones entered in TimeLine’s distinguished selection of sculptures. A top choice is the Roman marble portrait head of Gaius Caesar Vipsanianus (20 B.C.-4 A.D.). Born to Julia, daughter of Augustus Caesar, and the emperor’s advisor Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Gaius was later adopted by Augustus because he had no male heirs. Likely created in 1 A.D. to celebrate Gaius’ consulship, the head is modeled in the round, probably using Parian marble, and portrays the subject with hair trimmed in Julian style. Its height is 48cm (19in), inclusive of its custom-made stand. Comparable sculptures are seen in JMC Toynbee’s Roman Historical Portraits, E La Rocca’s Rom als Vorbild für Pompeji: Aspekte der Kolonisierung, and many European museum publications. Its line of provenance can be traced back to its acquisition on the London art market in the 1970s and also includes a 2007 sale at Christie’s London. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato, this artwork is estimated at £30,000-£40,000 ($38,220-$50,960).

Another exceptional sculpture is a 3rd-1st century B.C. Greek Hellenistic marble head of a ruler. Carved in the round with a thick wreath of laurel leaves to the brow, the subject is shown with short tousled hair and a stern face with thick jaw. The use of marble and the quality of the work would suggest it is a portrait of a nobleman or possibly a prince. Inclusive of its custom-made stand, the head measures 42.5cm (16¾in) high and weighs 23.7 kg (52lbs 4oz). Its provenance predates 1998 at Artemis Gallery, Munich, Germany; followed by Oliver Forge, London; and a private collector. The work will convey with an academic report by Professor Neritan Ceka. Estimate: £30,000-£40,000 ($38,220-$50,960)

The triumvirate of finely-fashioned heads is completed by a marble of a youthful Dionysus, Greek god of fertility, wine and pleasure. Dating to the 3rd-1st century B.C. and carved in the half-round in three-quarter view, the head’s visage displays stern features, with horns to the brow, and hair gathered in a browband. According to TimeLine’s experts, the 7 3/8-inch-tall artwork, which includes a custom-made stand, was originally part of a frieze or relief. Its provenance includes a European private collection and, prior to that, acquisition on the Swiss art market in 2013. Accompanied by a copy of the 2013 invoice and an academic report by Dr. Raffaele D’Amato, it is offered with a £12,000-£17,000 ($15,290-$21,660) estimate.

Egyptian treasures abound in this sale, with one prime example being an Egyptian limestone shabti from the New Kingdom, 19th-20th Dynasty, 1295-1077 B.C. This intriguing piece is painted and inscribed to “Ir-Nu” with advice about cultivation from the Book of the Dead. It has a carefully modeled face and long, incised tripartite wig. The figure holds a pick and hoe, and has a seed bag slung over one shoulder. This 28.4cm (11.18in inclusive of stand) shabti has appeared in several noted reference books and was exhibited at TEFAF in 2016. Its old-line provenance goes back to the Carieau family collection in Belgium, subsequent to its 1952 acquisition; then the Maspero collection, Paris, acquired in 1963; and a private European collection following its acquisition in 1978. It comes to auction with a technical report by Edmund S Meltzer PhD and an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. Estimate: £20,000-£30,000 ($25,480-$38,220)

An Egyptian wooden mummy mask from the 22nd-24th Dynasty, 944-716 B.C., displays finely carved facial detailing and notably recessed eyebrows with distinctive Egyptian-blue inlay. A discussion of the piece appears in Parlasca and Sailor’s 1999 reference Mummy Portraits and Egyptian Funerary Art from Roman Times. Its height is 7 7/8in, and it has an old mounting to the reverse. Most recently held in a Suffolk, England, private estate; its earlier provenance includes a UK antiques fair, Mr. E.D., and a UK professional. Estimate: £12,000-£17,000 ($15,290-$21,660)

Through the efforts of scholars, several classical vase painters have been identified, if not by actual name, then by style. In the latter case, they become known by monikers, such as the Ampersand Painter or the Achilles Painter. Yet there are many highly accomplished black-figure and red-figure painters who remain entirely unidentified, like the unknown artist who created a circa 380-370 BC Greek Lucanian red-figure bell krater. Decorated with a meander with saltire squares below the figural scene and a laurel band below the rim, its sides portray two quite different scenes. Side A depicts a nude gesticulating satyr running with arms outstretched toward a maenad who looks back at him, as a second maenad stands behind him, facing in the opposite direction. Side B is painted with images of three youths in draped, hooded cloaks. Similar specimens are held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and are seen in past Met reports as well as in The Italic People of Ancient Apulia: New Evidence from Pottery for Workshops, Markets, and Customs (2014, by Robinson, Carpenter & Lynch). Its line of provenance includes a Belgium private collection, 1950s; Christie’s New York, June 4, 2008; and a private central European collection. Together with an academic report by Dr. Raffaele D’Amato, it is estimated at £10,000-£14,000 ($12,740-$17,835). 

A monumental and highly important Apulian red-figure volute krater attributed to the Licurgus Painter, circa 330 B.C., has meander patterns around the lower body, with rosettes encircling the neck and gusseted handles with masks to the outer faces. Side A shows Nike at the reins of a quadriga; Side B depicts two seated males and two females offering votive gifts. Similar to a volute-krater (attributed to the Baltimore Painter) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art it stands 78.5cm (30 7/8 in) high. It can be traced back to a Neuchatel, Switzerland collection, it is accompanied by an academic report by Dr. Raffaele D’Amato. It is estimated at £50,000-£70,000 ($63,875-$89,430).

A Greek Apulian red-figure calyx-krater, late 4th century B.C., has an elegant fluted body and stands 56cm (22in) high. Side A depicts the semi-nude hero Bellerophon riding Pegasus, with mythological characters Princess Filinoe and King Iobates of Lycia shown below. Side B is painted with the figure of a young beardless man, wrapped in a large cloak and holding a staff. Similar bell-kraters are seen in A.D. Trendall’s Paestan Pottery: a Revision and a Supplement, and in the British Museum collection. The vessel was acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s, then joined the family collection of Mr. S.A., Switzerland, and thence by descent; and, since the late 1990s, has been in a private collection. It comes with an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato and carries an £18,000-£24,000 ($22,930-$30,575) estimate.

One of the most significant pieces in the auction is a Byzantine fresco panel of crowned women, possibly queens or wise virgins. The painting possibly comes from a representation of the Last Judgment, including the crowned men and women mentioned in the Apocalypse (Chapter IV, Verse 4). This piece was acquired in the early 1980s and joined an old German private collection. Subsequently, it was in the pre-1992 private collection of Mr S.A., they conveyed by descent. Estimate: £30,000-£40,000 ($38,220-$50,960)

A rare and insightful testament to the importance of farming and animal husbandry in the “cradle of civilization” is the auction’s circa 2400-2340 B.C. dynastic terracotta tablet written in dense cuneiform. The 78mm (3in) pillow-shape artifact served as an administrative record of livestock, specifically 146 sheep and their owners or shepherds. It was acquired from Laemmle Gallery in Los Angeles in the early 1970s; then was auctioned at Bonhams London in 2011. Its next home was in a private central European collection. Offered with copies of relevant Bonhams catalog pages, it will cross the auction block with an £18,000-£24,000 ($22,930-$30,575) estimate.

TimeLine Auctions adheres to the highest standards of compliance to laws governing the sale of ancient art. All auction items requiring clearance through the Interpol Database of stolen works of art are noted as such in the catalog with the inclusion of unique Interpol Search Certificate numbers. As an extra layer of security, TimeLine also employs the Art Loss Register to check all lots valued over £1,500 and all Western Asiatic lots regardless of value, so clients may buy with confidence.

The June 4-8, 2024 auction will be held live at the company’s head office located at The Court House, 363 Main Rd., Harwich, Essex CO12 4DN, UK. All lots featured in TimeLine’s printed catalog will be auctioned during the June 4 opening session. Internet bidders may pre-register online. London previews will be held at the prestigious Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, St James’s, on May 30 from 12 noon-6pm and May 31 from 9am-noon. A champagne reception follows on the evening of the May 30 London preview, with a 7:30pm talk by Paul Whelan on the subject “Egyptian Servants and Seeds of Osiris.” Auction start time: 7am US Eastern time/12pm (midday) GMT. All remote forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone (please book phone line 48 hours ahead of time) or live via the Internet through TimeLine’s bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. TimeLine Auctions accepts payments in GBP and ships worldwide. Questions: call +44 7494 866514 or email Aaron Hammond at [email protected]. Website: https://timelineauctions.com.