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.


Tiwanaku 2

Cambridge auctioneer negotiates return of artefact to Bolivian government

30 April 2018

A Cambridge auctioneer has negotiated the return of a pre-Columbian artefact to the Bolivian government.

Greek horse's head

Ancient Greek horse’s head rears up at Monaco auction

30 April 2018

Survivals of ancient classical sculpture carved from ivory are incredibly rare, so the appearance on the market of this naturalistically carved ancient Greek horse’s head is a notable occasion.

Seized artworks.

Spanish dealers arrested after antiquities from Libya seized

30 March 2018

Antiquities looted from archaeological sites in Libya have been seized in Spain by police and two art dealers have been arrested.

Coin cabinet

Spink-sponsored British Museum exhibition aims to bring numismatics to the public

20 February 2018

The British Museum is to hold an exhibition on money and medals in a tie-up with specialist London coin and stamp auction Spink.

Torso

Art Loss Register, New York’s district attorney and antiquities dealers team up to safeguard Lebanese sculptures

06 February 2018

Antiquities looted during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980s are to go on display at the National Museum in Beirut after they were identified in Europe as stolen objects.

Duck

Antiquities seized from billionaire collector after anti-trafficking unit launched in New York

09 January 2018

Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr, has swooped on the antiquities collection of hedge-fund manager and philanthropist Michael H. Steinhardt.

Park Avenue Armory

Persian limestone sculpture seized by police from antiquities dealer at TEFAF New York

30 October 2017

The Manhattan district attorney’s office has seized a Persian limestone relief fragment from the stand of a dealer at TEFAF New York amid accusations it had been stolen.

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Mosaic fits into the Monaco mix

14 August 2017

The sales held by a variety of Monaco auction houses that are a feature of the summer season are traditionally big on jewellery, cars and Hermès handbags and other luxury accessories and modern art.

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Judge orders Christie's to name Stargazer ‘buyer’

07 August 2017

A US judge has ordered Christie’s to identify the winning bidder of the $12.5m (£9.7m) Guennol Stargazer, an ancient Anatolian idol auctioned in New York in April.

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The fresh face of antiquity

26 June 2017

The antiquities trade’s packed summer schedule got off to a bright start at Sotheby’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) in London. The ancient art sale was the second to be held since the auction house reopened its London unit in 2016. Over the last two decades, Sotheby’s had sold ancient art through its New York saleroom only.

Bronze Etruscan statuette

London art dealer helps stolen bronze return to Berlin museum after 70 years

02 March 2017

A bronze Etruscan statuette that was stolen from Berlin’s Antikensammlung during the Second World War has been returned after the intervention of London dealers Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch.

Gold torcs found by metal detectorists

Striking gold – metal detectorists to share proceeds of Iron Age discovery with landowner

02 March 2017

What is thought to be the earliest example of Iron Age gold ever discovered in Britain was unveiled to the public this week at The Potteries Museum in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

Box from the reign of Amenhotep II

Dealer helps Scottish museum piece together Egyptian treasure

25 January 2017

Antiquities specialist Charles Ede has revealed its role in helping National Museums Scotland complete one of the Egyptian treasures in its collection.

Greek coin

Big Apple's busy season starts with coin fair NYINC

05 January 2017

The hive of art world activity in the Big Apple in January kicks off with the New York International Numismatic Convention, or NYINC, which takes place at the Waldorf Astoria.

Christie’s change antiquities schedule

18 November 2015

Christie’s have announced major changes to their antiquities sales calendar in London and New York.

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Hoffmann brooches shine in Vienna auction

14 July 2015

Two rare brooches by Wiener Werkstätte founder Josef Hoffmann (1870-1956) caused a sensation when they appeared in the recent Jugendstil and Design auction held at Kinsky in Vienna.

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Rare privy mark helps Indian coin to £13,000

27 April 2015

This rare Indian coin drew a four-way competition at Wilkes & Curtis’ latest auction.

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‘Overvalued’ Dark Age hoard comes to auction

24 March 2015

A remarkable hoard of coins shedding light on the power struggles between Vikings and Anglo-Saxons has come onto the open market in a highly unusual sale.

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The £52,000 Penzance purr-chase

25 February 2015

This finely modelled ancient Egyptian bronze cat head with original large gold hoop earrings was the uncontested star of David Lay’s latest auction in Penzance, Cornwall.

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Anglo-Saxon controls may prove vital in shedding light on newfound hoard

12 January 2015

Strict rules governing the integrity of early English coinage could lead to the newly uncovered Aylesbury Hoard revising our perspective of the Anglo-Saxon period.

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