Antiquities & Ethnographica auction

A specialist one-off auction to include art and antiquities from around the world

 

We are pleased to be holding this one-off specialist auction of Antiquities & Ethnographica consigned from several deceased estates and collectors from across East Anglia and the south coast.  This has been a truly fascinating auction to put together, which has taken us around the world and millennia back in time.

The full catalogue is available on our website.

 

The sale was born from the consignment of a Cambridgeshire deceased estate single-owner collection, which was owned by an autodidact antiquarian with an extensive knowledge of Celtic history and global antiquities.  He was a design engineer,  inventor and contractor with a passion for history and art who spent a lifetime studying and collecting items of historical interest and beauty.

 

The estate highlights include Celtic stone figures/heads purchased from the collection of a Cambridge Professor of Architecture, an impressive selection of pre-Columbian pottery, and a large amount of carefully selected Africana. 

Lots from this estate are marked in the catalogue with an *.

 

One particularly striking highlight from this estate is this approx 1st century BC Celtic stone bust.  The detailed carved figure is wearing a heavy torque around the neck and torso carved in relief with a leaping deer.  This is a beautiful and important example of pre-Christian art and has an estimate of £3000-5000. 

 

 

From further afield, we have this early 20th century female ancestor figure created by the Baule People of the Ivory Coast. She is depicted with libations of palm oil, metal and fibre embellishments, and bears an estimate of £800-1200.

 

 

Alongside this estate are several other collections as well as individual consignments, which include a wealth of art and antiques from Egypt, Africa, Asia and Polynesia, ranging from 1000BC to the mid-20th century. 

 

 

A particularly interesting and rare lot is this 19th century Polynesian Akau Povai ironwood pole club, which features all-over zig-zag and linear carved decoration and is further carved with four human glyphs. It bears an estimate of £4000-6000

 

 

A much earlier piece is this Ancient Egyptian terracotta figure of the Egyptian Baboon Babi (associated with Thoth, the moon God of wisdom), which dates to between 1000-400BC. The 13cm high figure is extremely well-defined and seated in an upright pose with hands upon knees.  This has an estimate of £2000-3000

 

 

We would like to express our thanks to consultant Will Mattin for providing his 30+ years experience and expert knowledge in cataloguing many of these items.  

 

 

The full catalogue is available on our website.

 

The sale will take place on Friday 1st October at 11am.

 

We will be open for viewing on Wednesday 29th September 1pm-5pm,  Thursday 30th 10am-6pm, and sale day from 9am.

 

 

Sign up to hear about forthcoming auctions, news and featured lots

 

Please be assured that we will never pass your details on to third parties and you can unsubscribe at any point.