London's Pax Romana Presents August 10 Auction of Expertly Curated Cultural Art, Ancient Relics, Coins and Jewelry
Featured: Superb circa-600 BC Greek Corinthian helmet, Viking hand-forged sword, Gandharan head from monumental statue, jewelry of Medieval aristocracy
LONDON, Aug. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To collectors of ancient art and numismatics, scholarship and provenance are the two most important points to consider before making a purchase. It is no coincidence that those same criteria are the cornerstones of Pax Romana, Britain's premier dealers and auctioneers of antiquities and coins. Located in central London in a two-story gallery directly opposite the venerable British Museum, Pax Romana specializes in the appraisal, authentication and sale of genuine artifacts from the world's greatest cultures. The company reserves its finest pieces for its auctions, the next to be conducted on Saturday, August 10. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available worldwide through LiveAuctioneers.
There are 601 lots of expertly curated art, relics, coins and jewelry from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome; the Near and Far East; and the Holy Land, as well as marvelous discoveries from the Bronze Age and periods when Viking/Norse cultures flourished. The catalogue is divided into five distinct sections: Ancient Jewelry, Ancient Coins, Classical Antiquities, Ancient Weaponry, and Asian Antiquities.
One of the sale's top highlights is a Greek Corinthian bronze helmet that originally would have been a critical form of protection for a Spartan warrior. Dating to circa 600 BC, the helmet has curvilinear eyeholes that taper to a point, a wide nose guard and broad cheek pieces that leave a vertical opening for the mouth. The property of a London art expert, it was formerly part of an old British collection.
A substantial selection of Asian art includes several treasures of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara (present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan). "Alexander the Great conquered Gandhara in 300 BC, and the Indo-Greek kings who followed him introduced classical traditions that would influence Gandhara art for the next seven centuries," noted Dr. Ivan Bonchev, PhD University of Oxford, and owner of Pax Romana. Those influences are reflected in a substantial stucco head from a monumental statue, modeled in classical Hellenistic style, complete with halo and original pigments; and a schist panel depicting the muscular god Atlas in a seated pose. Both date to circa 200 AD.
Over the past several years – perhaps due to the global fascination with Game of Thrones – many new collectors have discovered Viking artifacts. In their time, Viking metalsmiths were renowned for their ability to produce robust, unfailingly reliable arms and armaments. Pax Romana will auction several exceptional examples, including a hand-forged iron sword with three-lobe pommel and decorated guard, mid-10th century AD; and a Medieval four-plate iron helmet with intact nose guard, circa 800-1100 AD.
Another popular category is wearable European jewelry, especially those items created during the Medieval and Post-Medieval periods. A rare and extremely beautiful British Medieval (circa 1400 AD) gold ring is set with green emeralds and a central amethyst set in an openwork floral-shape bezel. The ring is of a type that would have been worn only by the highest-status aristocratic ladies, usually from the king's court.
Also worthy of special mention is an extremely rare 17th/18th-century Post Medieval falconry ring bearing the crest of "De Gaulle." It is either French or British made and may have a connection to the Charles de Gaulle family of France.
All auction items sold by Pax Romana are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. The company ships worldwide, and all packing is handled by in-house specialists. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.com.
Contact:
Dr. Ivan Bonchev
+44 758 5515618
[email protected]
SOURCE LiveAuctioneers
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