Welcome to the TimeLine Auctions February 2020 London Rostrum Auction

 

 Since our founding, TimeLine Auctions has grown to become one of the world’s leading auctioneers of ancient art, increasing our market share year upon year with regular sales connecting international collectors with the fascinating world of antiquities. TimeLine Auctions is proud to maintain a long and flourishing tradition of serving museums, collectors and investors, tracing part of our heritage back through a merger with a historic London dealership, Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd, which was founded in 1885. The objects found within the pages of this catalogue are not only tangible assets, rich with cultural history, but traditionally reach a lower price than mainstream works of art.

 

 This quarter, our cataloguing process has been supported by the assistance of seven academics, all doctors in their various fields, four qualified archaeologists and countless other specialists. On the 2nd and 3rd January more than a dozen professionals, travelling from across Europe, gathered to inspect the lots for sale in this auction. Following this thorough vetting process, over 4,000 lots were selected for auction and feature within this catalogue. All lots are available to view at our Harwich premises by appointment in the six weeks prior the sale and at the May Fair Hotel from noon until 9pm on 24th February.

 

 This sale includes many exceptional items. Here are just a few of my favourites, which I believe to be worthy of special consideration: lot 43, an important Egyptian cartonnage mask, guided at £15,000 - £20,000; lot 64, a rare Hellenistic carved head of a bird of prey, guided at £50,000 - £70,000; lot 104, a substantial Roman statue of a nude boy, guided at £60,000 - £80,000; lot 359, a very large Gandharan meditating Buddha, the star piece from the Tibet House ‘On the Silk Route; Birth of Buddha’ exhibition which took place in New York in 2011, guided at £15,000-£20,000; lot 442, an exceptional and rare two plate Corinthian combat helmet of a Greek Hoplite, guided at £30,000 - £40,000; lot 516, the renowned Irish Ballyarton stone head, guided at £15,000 - £20,000; lot 552, Anglo-Saxon 'The Thwaite' gold and garnet sword pyramid, similar to those found in the Staffordshire Hoard, guided at £25,000 - £30,000; and lastly lot 585, 'The Bridlington Priory' Henry VIII period gold merchant’s signet ring, another acclaimed item of UK treasure, guided £12,000 - £17,000.

 

 I would like to take this chance to inform you about our new website interface which champions a new bespoke look when viewing our catalogues. Exciting projects are also on the horizon. Together with an influential historical society, TimeLine Auctions is in the process of forming a new museum, part of which will be dedicated to the history of our local area. As such, we would like to invite collectors and detectorists to come forward with any interesting items. 

 

 As ever, we continue to seek consignments, most particularly old collections, to provide a rich diversity of objects to our ever-growing customer base, which now stands at 14,000 registered users. We offer unbeatable rates for lots with original historical provenance documentation.

 

 

 I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a healthy and prosperous new year, and best of luck with your bidding in this sale.

 

 

Brett Hammond CEO
at TimeLine Auctions