15th Century and Earlier Sculptures

SCHORL TOURMALINE WITH AQUAMARINE Shengus, Roundu District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan 19.2 cm tall x 6.2 cm wide Gilgit-Baltistan (formerly known as the Northern Areas) is home to m...

A large scale natural amethyst specimen originating from Brazil. Crystals from Brazil are most often found as radiating masses, with individual crystals appearing as pyramids. This e...

Elegant Standing Court Dignitary with joined hands in blue robes and a bird headdress. Polychrome Traces. When China was unified again, first briefly ...

Rare Large 15th Century Renaissance English Oak Roof Angels Corbel. Truly astonishing rare roof angels, circa 1450. The large Medieval carvi...

It features a depiction of Tripurantaka Murti, as a manifestation of Lord Shiva. This relief was carved from red sandstone, most likely in Central India, circa the 10th or 11th Cent...

White Rock Crystal Geode Natural Specimen Sculpture its divided into two parts.

Weight: 207.32 Gram Dimension: 8.2 x 6.7 x 3.2 Cm Origin: Afghanistan Aquamarine is a pale-blue to light-green variety of beryl. The color of aquamarine can be changed by heat. Aqu...

This complete cross-sectional slice from the Imilac meteorite has been prepared to reveal shimmering olivine and peridot gems embedded in an iron-nick...

A complete prehistoric Cleoniceras opalised iridescent ammonite fossil, originating from Madagascar, presented on an exclusive museum-quality painted plaster base. Over 200 million y...

A rare pair of French cast iron fence post fragments dating back to the 1300’s. A long sprouting flower is wrapped around the flat column post, recently set in concrete bases. Sold a...

Fossil Leaf Davidia antiqua Paleocene epoch Fort Union Formation Glendive, Montana, USA 5.47 x 5.55 x 0.97 inches (13.90 x 14.10 x 2.46 cm) Beautifully presented and carefully pres...

A superb giant ammonite fossil of the Titanites Giganteus variety mounted on a bespoke steel stand with sandstone base. Ex. private collection of Gordon Walkden. Sourced from Worth ...

A large pyrite cluster specimen originating from Peru, displayed on one of our exclusive museum-quality painted plaster bases. Naturally formed over millions of years, this huge pyr...

A collection of 6 natural, native copper specimens, each presented on an exclusive small wooden display base. Ex. private British collection, this group includes a range of superb s...

A complete prehistoric polished jigsaw ammonite fossil, originating from Madagascar, presented on an exclusive museum-quality painted plaster base. A natural historical artefact, pre...

Collection of 5 Pre Columbian pottery heads. Largest is 2.5" x 2", much wear and chipping, although they are pretty tough for pottery.

Ancient pre-Columbian, Nayarit, Mexican, circa 100 BCE to 250 CE, hand-built ceramic pottery redware sculpture of a seated male figure with arms crossed and wearing a headdress and m...

Exceptionally Fine Wooden Sarcophagus Mask Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, circa 1069-945 BC. Acacia wood, rosewood, hippopotamus ivory Masterfully carved from a single piece of fine-grained hardwood, the present mask is characteristic of the most exquisite funerary art made during the 21st Dynasty, and was probably commissioned for a particularly high-ranking individual. The oval face displays a gently smiling mouth with full, outlined lips, furrows at the corners and a bow-shaped philtrum. The straight nose with rounded nostrils, the cheeks full and fleshy and the large, almond shaped eyes with heavy lids and tapering cosmetic lines, set below long, sweeping eyebrows. Social collapse across the Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age meant that the 21st Dynasty in Egypt was a period of great turmoil. Trade routes were disrupted, governments collapsed, and mass migration occurred. Economic scarcity meant that traditional funerary practices in Egypt were also affected, with a lack of material and financial resources leading to the reuse of preexisting material. As a result, during the 21st Dynasty, 19th and 20th Dynasty coffins changed ownership rapidly and were heavily recycled for new purposes. Tombs were also unmarked allowing them to be shared by many people. These new practices brought forth a shift in the understanding of funerary paraphernalia. No longer important objects owned forever by the deceased, they were now simply seen as short-term transformative devices, whose symbolic and ritualistic meaning could be appropriated for others. However, paradoxically, the art of coffin-making also reached new heights during this period, and many of the richly dec- orated “yellow” coffins, characteristic of the 21st Dynasty, are remarkable works of art in their own right. Indeed, knowing that coffins were being reused throughout Egypt, the Egyptian élite set themself apart by commissioning lavish sarcophagi decorated with the images and texts meant to help guide them to the afterlife, and which would otherwise have adorned the tomb walls. As coffins were the chief funerary element which now identified the dead and allowed them a physical presence in the world of the living, their quality and appearance were of the utmost importance. The traditional coffin ensemble was made of three parts: a wooden mummy cover, which laid directly atop the mummy, an inner coffin, and an outer coffin, both made of a lid and case. Additional decorative elements, such as masks, were carved out separately and later glued or pegged to the lids. After the completion of the painted decoration, the sarcophagus was covered in a varnish to give it its yellow colour. Gilding was sometimes used for the coffins of the high priests’ families, notably on parts representing naked skin, such as the face mask. However, some of the élite tactically avoided gilding altogether as to ensure that their coffin would not be looted. When manufacturing the inner and outer coffins, particular attention was paid to the woodwork. Displaying the skill of the carpenter, this type of funerary art has largely remained unparalleled throughout Egyptian history. The principal wood used to craft the present mask is Acacia nilotica. The evergreen Egyptian acacia was considered sacred and said to be the tree of life, the birthplace of the god Horus, as well as symbolic of Osiris, the god of the dead and resurrection. The modelling of the face in the wood is superb, but the inlays also help mark this mask out as exceptional. Inlaid eyes and eyebrows were extremely rare and reserved to the finest and most expensive coffins. Traditionally, eyes were made of calcite, obsidian, or quartz, and eyebrows of coloured glass paste or bronze. Here, the pupils, eyebrows, and cosmetic lines are inlaid with Dalbergia melanoxylon, a rare type of wood which belongs to the rosewood genus. In antiquity, however, it was known as Ebony of the Pharaohs, from the Egyptian word “hbny”, meaning dark timber, because of its black, lustrous appearance. An extremely dense and hard wood requiring significant skill to work with, ebony was a luxury material highly coveted by the pharaohs themselves, to make furniture, decorative and funerary objects. The wood was imported with great effort from the southern Land of Punt, most likely modern Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, alongside other luxury goods such as gold and ivory. A magnificent ebony throne, recovered in the tomb of King Tutankhamun, illustrates the incredible aesthetic potential of this material and why it was so highly valued by Egyptian royalty. Only élite members of Egyptian society could have afford- ed Ebony of the Pharaoh inlays for their funerary mask. The sclerae on the present piece were once both inlaid with hippopotamus ivory. Whiter than elephant ivory, this type of ivory is also denser, and more difficult to carve. The use of this luxury material, reputed for its gleaming appearance, enhances the lifelikeness of the eyes. For the Egyptians, hippopotamus ivory was imbued with magic powers. The hippopotamus was indeed both feared and venerated due to its aggressive behaviour. Whilst the male hippopotamus was associated with danger and chaos, the female was benevolent and invoked for protection, especially of the house and of mothers and their children, through the hippopotamus goddess Tawaret. Thus, not only was hippopotamus ivory used as an inlay and to make practical objects, such as combs and clappers, but it was also used to make talismans like apotropaic wands or knives. Made during a time of scarcity where few could afford made-to-order coffins, the present mask could have only belonged to one of the highest-ranking individuals in society. Undoubtedly one of the finest Egyptian coffin...

Head of a Satyr Roman, circa 2nd - 3rd century AD Carved and highly polished marble An extremely fine marble head of a satyr, depicted with ivy wreath, curly hair and pointed goat’...

A Large European Carved Limestone Celtic Votive Head of a Male Warrior Wearing a Typical Flowing Moustache Small Beard and Curling Locks of Hair Stiffened with Lime Wash the Slit Mou...

A varied and colourful collection of 7 natural mineral specimens, each presented on an exclusive small wooden display base. Ex. private British collection, this group contains a ran...

A large botryoidal green malachite specimen from Kolwezi, Congo, presented on an exclusive museum-quality painted plaster display plinth. Named for its distinctive form resembling a...

A large natural plate type carboniferous fossilised fern. Showing ferns in relief, this fossil would certainly make a stunning new display or decorative piece for any home or collect...

Natural Quartz Geode Decorative Object

These exquisite Neolithic bracelets from Mali are a captivating testament to ancient craftsmanship and ingenuity. Carved from limestone with natural crystalline veins coursing throug...

Natural Quartz Geode Decorative Object

A very rare and exquisite table-top amethyst formation. The long fromation preserves a prominent golden calcite crystal on a bed of deep purple amethyst and is particularly sculptura...

An impressive skull of an Edmontosaurus, a large herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, 68-66 million years ago. The three rows of sixty or more teeth on either side of the jaw, known as the ‘dental battery’, mark the Edmontosaurus as part of the Hadrosauridae, or duckbill family of dinosaurs. It belongs to the flat-skulled, or solid-crested, Hadrosaurinae, which replaced the older hollow-crested hadrosaurs. Edmontosaurus was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs to ever exist, living shortly before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The Edmontosaurus was named in 1917 by Lawrence Lambe, after a partial specimen from Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. The existence of large Edmontosaur bone beds...

An exquisite black amethyst druze cluster with polished stalactite. Rare and notoriously difficult to find, this stunning and unique black amethyst druz...

Head of a crowned Virgin Île-de-France, first half of 14th century. H26 x 14 x 14 cm Provenance : - Private Collection, Paris France (1960) - Private Collection Tuscany, Italy (19...

Natural Quartz Geode Decorative Object

Elephant bird egg from Madagascar. The largest egg ever from a living creature; it is from the extinct elephant bird. Assembled from the shards of se...

A Gogotte Formation Of natural form, dating from the Oligocene period (30 Million years ago). Beguiling natural mineral formation, they are the result of calcium carbonate binding w...

A natural piece of Petrified Wood set on a stand. Completely organic natural raw fossil, cleaned for display. Appearing as a towering mountain with jutting peaks. To the back sid...

Natural Quartz Geode Decorative Object

The electric intensity of this piece's coloration makes it both stunning and unique. The sparkling color and natural wave-like form makes for a hypnotic sculpture evoking a sense of ...

A superb relief-carved panel depicting the Maya Deity Itzamna, appearing as an Iguana, stretched out on a platform with long-toed limbs splayed

Magnificent large Herkimer diamond proudly seated on its original matrix. This clear, double-terminated quartz crystal is renowned for its exceptional clarity and brilliance, akin to...

Impressive sculpture features a large cluster of Pyrite, masterfully extracted from the depths of Peru. Renowned for its metallic luster and golden hue, Pyrite—often called “Fool’s G...

A stunning half geode with an incredible amethyst and overlaid calcite formation at the bottom. The interior of the piece is a very deep cavity which presents very high-quality ameth...

Telamon Northern Italy, late 12th - early 13th century Reemployed Roman marble H 32 x L 18 x P 17 cm « Sono coloro che hanno dimenticato che l’uomo é solo un bruco, destinato a dive...

This huge 5.67" high megalodon tooth is five to ten million years old from South Carolina, USA. The megalodon was the most massive predatory shark to ever live. Reaching lengths of 7...

This meteorite was acquired from the Bethany Sciences collection and was once a part of the private collection of Meteorite Man Robert A. Haag. It includes an informational Certifica...

This museum-quality Amethyst “harp” from Artigas, Uruguay, is a natural sculpture of exceptional beauty and rarity. The piece features a harmonious arrangement of high-quality Amethy...

Stunning Pyrite piece from the mineral-rich soils of Peru, this piece is a symphony of metallic luster and geometric precision. Its perfect cubic crystals are interlocked in a captiv...

Found in 2002 at Franconia in Mojave, Arizona, this H5 chondrite meteorite can be found strewn amongst many other varieties of metorite in what has been coined a Dense Collection Are...

Captivating Pyrite sphere from Peru, a true natural masterpiece. This sphere is a polished marvel, with countless tiny Pyrite crystals embedded within, each sparkling with perfect lu...

Beautiful lamp, carved from a block of translucent Mexican banded onyx.

Beautiful lamp, carved from a block of translucent Mexican banded onyx.

Magnificent Amethyst geode, a captivating treasure with a heart of intense purple and a unique large calcite, cradled in a custom rotating stand for a 360-degree view of its splendou...

Presented is an exceptional specimen of blue-purple Fluorite, with a serene light blue hue that evokes the clear sky of a summer’s day. Originating from the esteemed La Viesca mine i...

This magnificent panel is an example of the pinnacle of Maya stone carving. It depicts the head of a cormorant in profile, with a long hooked beak, curved tongue, large central eye,...

Exquisite specimen of blue-purple fluorite from the renowned La Viesca Mine in Asturias, which closed in 2020, making pieces like this increasingly rare. The specimen boasts vibrant ...

This genuine Burmese amber specimen dates back approximately 99 million years. Pieces like these are sometimes called a menagerie and this one contains s...

Immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of this sculpture of the Infant Jesus as Salvator Mundi, an exceptional piece originating from the renowned School of Mechelen of the 15th-16t...

Corinthian helmet with Bull Horns and Lotus Flower Decoration. Archaic Period, c.550-500 BC. Cast, hammered and incised bronze. An exceptionally well preserved example of one of the most iconic ancient Greek...

TSAVORITE GARNET Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania 2.55 cm tall x 3.2 cm wide A variety of grossular g...

Prehistoric Brazilian thick agate geode on stand. Center hole reveals beautiful natural silver crystals. Stand measures 6" x 4". One of several from a large collection of agate geo...