Roman Handled Cup circa 3rd-4th century AD, CYPRUS

Provenance: ex Cyrus, ex deceased collection and estate of Graham Futter Esquire, Winterton, Norfolk, UK
Circa: 3rd-4th century AD
Age: Approx.1,700 years old
Size: 10.5 cm height / 8.2 cm diameter

Condition: Excellent with soil accretions. 

Shunga Dynasty Red Clay Rhyton in the form of a horse, circa 200-100BC, Indus Valley

Provenance: ex Private collection and Melbourne Sales Rooms
Circa: 200-100BC
Age: Approx.2,000 years old
Size: 10.5 cm/diameter 9.2 cm 

Condition: Fragment, mounted for modern display.

A rhyton (plural rhytons or, following the Greek plural, rhyta) is a container from which fluids were intended to be drunk, or else poured in some ceremony such as libation. The English word rhyton originates in the ancient Greek word ῥυτόν (rhŭtón). 

The conical rhyton form was known in the Aegean region since the Bronze Age; i.e., the 2nd millennium BC. However, it was by no means confined to there. Similar in form to, and perhaps originating from, the drinking horn, it has been widespread over Eurasia since prehistoric times.

Around 185 B.C., Pushyamitra Shunga, the principal military officer of the last Mauryan king, assassinated his ruler and assumed control. Because the Shungas were the successors to the Mauryans, the period following Mauryan rule is often called the Shunga period. However, except at the beginning, Shunga was not as extensive as the earlier realm but coexisted with other polities throughout the subcontinent. The period saw a flowering of the visual arts, including small terracotta images, larger stone sculptures, and architectural monuments such as the chaitya hall at Bhaja, the stupa at Bharhut, and the renowned Great Stupa at Sanchi. 

Sung Dynasty Brown Glazed Pottery Bowl, circa 960-1279 AD, CHINA

Provenance: ex Private collection and Melbourne Sales Rooms
Circa: 960 - 1279 AD
Age: Approx.750 years old
Size: 13.9 cm/diameter 5.0 cm 
Condition: Excellent

Chinese ceramics of the Sung Dynasty (960-1279) constitute perhaps the foremost expression of ceramic art, not only in China but in all the world. During the Sung period, a unity of the essential components fundamental to the art: vessel shape, potting techniques, glaze, decoration, firing processes, and aesthetic theory were all combined in a high standard of excellence.

In general, the shapes of Sung dynasty are simple and sedate by comparison to what preceded them and what was to follow. Likewise, the glazes tend to be monochromatic and subtle, a fluid, integral part of the form of the vessel they cover, with a depth of color and texture that invites the spectator to both touch and contemplate.

Sung aesthetic sophistication was matched by an incredible inventiveness, which led to a variety of classic wares, usually associated with a specific region of China. These included the court-patronized Lung-ch'uan celadons, Kuan and Ju porcelains, Ting ware, Northern celadons, as well as the more pedestrian Tz'u-chou ware, Ch'ing-pai ware, and the compelling varieties of Chün and Chien stoneware. Several of these regional ceramic wares were so valued during their day that they were used as tribute and yearly taxes to the imperial court. In terms of technical expertise, inventiveness, and aesthetic perfection of glaze and shape, the Sung period stands unrivaled for the quality of its ceramic ware.

Pre-Colombian pottery vessel, circa 600-1200 AD, COSTA RICA

Provenance: ex Lillian Hoffman collection (Deceased Estate) Sydney
Circa: 600 - 1200 AD
Age: Approx.800 to 1400 years old
Size: 6.5 cm/diameter 11.0 cm 
Condition: Excellent

This exquisite little pottery vessel as an applied figural decoration of a crab which bespeaks the importance of the sea and surrounding waters including fresh water to the Pre-Colombians.

Small: Pre-Colombian Pottery Vessel, c.1st -5th century CE (COSTA RICA)

Item:	SMALL PRE-COLUMBIAN POT POTTERY VESSEL
Date:	1st - 5th CENTURY CE
Historical Period:	Pre-Columbian Era
Description 1:	Painted , decorated with geometric designs and applied animal heads
Location:	COSTA RICA
Size:	8.4cm (height) x 11.6cm (Diameter)

Ancient Bead Composite Necklace: c.3,000 BCE - 20th century CE, (AFGHANISTAN, THAILAND, BALTIC REGIONS, PERSIA/IRAN)

Item:	Composite Bead Necklace
Date:	Spanning from c.3,000 BCE to the Modern Period 19th century CE (spacer beads for display = 20th century)
Historical Period:	From Neolithic Asia to the Bronze Age, Medieval Islamic to the 19th century
Description 1:	Smallest Beads: Glass beads from the Ban Chiang Period, 1,500 to 800BCE, Thailand
Description 2:	Large Faceted Agate Beads: 19th century CE, Afghanistan
Description 3:	Large Blood Red Hue Islamic Glass Beads: 10th-12th century CE
Description 4:	Largest: Uncut Ancient Amber Beads: c.1,000 BCE – 450CE, Baltic Region of Europe.
Description 5:	Gold Spacer Beads: Afghanistan 20 the century
Location:	Afghanistan, Thailand, Persia (Now Iran), Baltic areas (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and parts of Germany)
Size:	50cm long necklace, beads from 5mm to 50mm
Provenance:	Formerly the property of a private collector & purchased via an Antiquities Auction, Melbourne, Australia

 

Qing Dynasty Blue and White Porcelain Tea-Cup, circa 1850, CHINA

Provenance: Antiquities Sales Room, Melbourne, Australia
Circa: 19th century AD 
Age: Approx. 170 years old
Size: 6.5cm in height x 6.5cm in diameter
Condition: Excellent

Beautiful and delicate lue and white hand painted design showing a scholar fishing.

Chinese Folk Art Ceramic Bowl, Circa 19th - Early 20th Century, China

Provenance: Antiquities Sale, Melbourne
Circa: 19th -20th century AD
Age: Approx. 150-215 years old
Size: 18.5cm x 6cm in height
Condition: Good to Excellent

The beautiful free-form painting depicts a stylised bird with flowers and calligraphy.

Inside the bowl is intriguing. It has an incised 'w' shape near the flower decoration. To this day I have no idea what that 'w' represents.

Blue and White Charger Swatow (Zhangzhou) Export Ware, Recovered from the Bin Thuan Shipwreck, Vietnam 16th Century AD

Provenance: Bin Thuan Shipwreck, Vietnam, ex Christies Auctions, Melbourne
Circa: 16th century AD 
Age: Approx. 550 years old
Size: 27cm
Condition: Large chip to the rim, under-firing natural crack to the base, underwater encrustation also evident.

Chinese Sawtow (Zhangzhou) Export Ware Large Charger (Dish) with a bird and floral blue and white painted decoration. Circa 16th Century AD recovered from the famous Bin Thuan Shipwreck, off the coast of Vietnam.

Swawtow Export ware is believed to have been mainly made for the large Chinese expatriate communities spread through-out South East Asia. Sawtow Ware is generally coarse, crudely potted and often under-fired producing cracks in the base amongst other things.