| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 2826 Price realized: 2,600 CHF (Approx. 2,951 USD / 2,727 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Anonymous, second half of the 11th-12th century. Medallion (Bronze, 48 mm, 52.48 g, 12 h). IC - XC - I/Δ/૪ / H - [MHP] / C/૪ - I/Δ/Є / Ⲱ - V/O / C/૪ ('Jesus Christ - Behold, your mother! - Behold, your son!') The Crucifixion: Christ crucified, wearing a cloth around his waist and a large nimbus cruciger; in upper left and right fields, Sun and Moon; to left, Saint John; to right, the Mother of God; both nimbate; all within a pearled border intersected with globules. Rev. + H ANAC/TACHC / IC-XC The Resurrection: Christ advancing to right, raising Adam from Hell, Eve standing behind; between them, lock and key to the gates of Hell; all within a pearled border intersected with globules. Cf. S. Bendall: An Official Byzantine Religious Medallion or Amulet?, in: Numismatic Circular 98 (2010), 5-6 (for three related medaillons). Roma XVIII (2019), 1316 var. An exceptionally impressive medallion of the finest middle-Byzantine style. Good very fine. Ex Leu Web Auction 26, 8-13 July 2023, 5936, Leu Web Auction 24, 6 December 2022, 3673 and previously from a European collection, acquired before 2021. This spectacular medallion shows the Crucifixion ('Staurosis' in Greek) on one side in a traditional scene with Saint John and the Mother of God. The legend is taken from the Gospel of John (19:26-27), which describes how Christ beheld his mother and his beloved disciple standing at the Cross, upon which he uttered 'Woman, behold your son!' to Mary, and 'Behold your mother!' to Saint John, after which the latter took Mary into his own home. The other side of the medallion shows the Resurrection ('Anastasis' in Greek), more specifically the Harrowing of Hell, i.e. the period between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection on Easter when Christ triumphantly descended into Hell to free the righteous born before the coming of the Savior, starting with Adam and Eve. Though the event is alluded to in different parts of the New Testament, the most complete version of the story can be found in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. As a whole, the medallion celebrates Christ's triumph over death and suffering, with the promise that the same is possible for the true believer. Starting price: 750 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 2815 Price realized: 600 CHF (Approx. 681 USD / 629 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Anonymous, 11th-12th century. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 13.57 g, 12 h). M / ΘV - IC / XC - O / ЄV/[ЄP]/ΓЄ/T ('Mother of God. Jesus Christ the Benefactor'). Rev. H KHMI/C, The Dormition of the Virgin (Koimesis): Christ at the center, standing left, holding soul of the Virgin; below, bier with the reclining Virgin surrounded by rows of apostles; below to right, Saint Peter swinging a censer; to upper left and right, two half-length busts of angels. Do Seals VII 1.12. Sandrovskaja, Sfragistika no. 805. A marvellous iconographic seal with an extremely rare Dormition scene. Some flatness, otherwise, very fine. Ex Papillon E-Auction 5, 6 March 2021, 802. Though Scripture does not refer to the Dormition of the Virgin (Koimesis in Greek), a lively tradition surrounding her passing developed in Late Antiquity. In contrast to Christ's suffering at the Cross, the Dormition is a tranquil event, the soul of the Virgin endearingly being carried off by the Lord as the apostles, who were magically teleported to Mary's deathbed, look on. The scene was a beloved topic on Byzantine icons, and its appearance on our piece attests the influence of contemporary art on seals. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5317 Price realized: 900 CHF (Approx. 1,023 USD / 950 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Theodotos Kalothetos, sebastos, mid 13th century. Seal (Lead, 35 mm, 37.40 g, 12 h). IC XC / MHP - ΘV / H ΓA/ΛH-CIⲰ/TI/CA The Mother of God 'Galesiotissa', nimbate, wearing chiton and maphorion, pointing with her left hand towards Infant Christ seated on her right arm. Rev. +ⲰC ЄN ΨVXHC / EK AN ΓPAΦA/IC TVΠO KOP/H KAΛOΘЄTOC / CЄBACTOC O / ΘEOΔOTOC ('Like the Maiden is the imprint on his soul, so she is for his writings, the sebastos Theodotos Kalotheos') in seven lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Some minor doubling, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. This seal may be attributed to Theodotos Kalothetos, an important official at the imperial court of Nicaea. He held the high military office of domestikos of the regiments in the early 1250s. Several years later, in 1259, he is attested as governor of extensive land areas in western Anatolia. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5235 Price realized: 25 CHF (Approx. 28 USD / 26 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Basil, imperial (?) spatharios and epi tou deeseon, second half 10th-first half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 28 mm, 12.30 g, 12 h). [KЄ - RO]-HΘ, - CⲰ - ΔO-VΛ-Ⲱ ('Lord, help your servant') Large jeweled cross, with a superimposed Andrew's cross, the letters of the circular invocation placed at the end of each extremity. Rev. +RACIΛ, / [R? C]ΠAΘ S Є/[Π]I TⲰN ΔЄ/...ⲰN in four lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Good fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Basil was a very influential courtier. As epi ton deeseon, he was in charge of the presentation of petitions to the emperor. Starting price: 25 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 28 | Auction date: 9 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 5303 Price realized: 160 CHF (Approx. 182 USD / 169 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Anonymous, later 11th-early 12th century. Seal (Lead, 23 mm, 7.35 g, 12 h). MHP - ΘV Nimbate bust of the Mother of God 'Nikopoios' facing, nimbate, holding medallion of Christ with both hands. Rev. IC - XC Large cross on steps, with superimposed Andrew's cross and pellets around. Cf. DO Seals VII, 5.95. A beautiful iconographic seal. Nearly extremely fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 29 | Auction date: 24 February 2024 |
| Lot number: 2814 Price realized: 100 CHF (Approx. 114 USD / 105 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Anonymous, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 30 mm, 16.92 g, 12 h). Θ / Δ/H/M/H-T/P/I - H... - ΠPOΔIK[A]CH ("St. Demetrios - ...foresee") Saint Demetrios standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Rev. Θ / Θ/Є-O/Δ/Ⲱ/P - +TVΠOC - CΦPAΓIC ('Saint Theodore - Imprint - Seal') Saint Theodore, nimbate, standing facing, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Unpublished in the standard references. A dramatic overstrike. Minor surface surface cracks, otherwise, good very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. This seal was overstruck on a large seal that bore the image of a standing Saint George on its obverse. Part of the sigla, the nimbus and spear can still be seen, upside down, on the reverse. The name of the owner of the undertype is obscured, but he may have been a proedros and strategos (ΠPO / TPA can be read on the obverse). The legends on the overtype are intriguing. The word ΠPOΔIK[A]CH can be read on the obverse, but who or what is foreseeing remains unclear. The reverse has the words TVΠOC and CΦPAΓIC in the legend, which may be taken to mean that the image of Saint Theodore is the imprint literally and the saint himself is the seal metaphorically. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
