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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Roman mosaic to remain in Dorset after fundraising success

22 February 2021

A Roman floor panel sold at auction in 2018 and then to an international buyer will be reunited with two other fragments from the same mosaic after a successful fundraising appeal to keep it in the UK.

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Antiquities from Cotswolds local history hero turn heads at auction

22 February 2021

A recent sale at Cotswold Auction Company (22% buyer’s premium) included a single-owner collection of antiquities from Lionel Walrond (1927-2020).

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Monk and satyr both answer prayers of vendors

15 February 2021

Two pieces of sculpture – both catalogued as 19th century copies – made much higher than expected prices in the UK regions last month.

Tang pottery figure of a Bactrian camel

Ancient pottery camel figure stars in our latest pick of five auction highlights

15 January 2021

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a Tang dynasty (618-907) pottery figure of a Bactrian camel and rider that went four times over estimate.

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London dealers sell 12th dynasty Egyptian relief to German museum

13 January 2021

An Egyptian polychrome painted limestone relief from the 12th dynasty has been bought by the State Museum of Egyptian Art in Munich, Germany.

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New York estate provides ancient pottery to Skinner

21 December 2020

More than 70 lots of classical ancient pottery were included in the latest Skinner (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) sale of European Furniture and Decorative Arts in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

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Roman glass vessels feature in Claire Brown catalogue

14 December 2020

A group of four Roman glass vessels dating from the late 1st to 3rd century AD are offered at prices ranging from £500-2000 in Claire Brown Art’s catalogue Inspiration.

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Greek vessel among highlights at Kallos Gallery

14 December 2020

London antiquities specialist Kallos Gallery offers this attic black-figure lekythos from c.525-475BC. The decoration depicts a Dionysiac scene with two satyrs chasing maenads.

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More items found by metal detectorists to be saved for the nation as Treasure definition set to be changed

10 December 2020

More metal detective finds will have a chance to be saved for the nation under new rules set to come in next year.

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Unesco ad campaign on looted art has ‘intention to mislead’

07 December 2020

A Unesco campaign aimed at increasing public awareness of looted art is threatening to backfire after it emerged the ‘stories’ told in its adverts were fabricated.

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Making moves for Anglo-Saxon ‘chess piece’

30 November 2020

Estimated at £6000-8000, an Anglo-Saxon bronze gaming piece – a metal-detecting find for the consignor – sold for £95,000 (plus premium) at the latest auction at TimeLine in Harwich, Essex.

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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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