| Nomos AG > obolos 36 | Auction date: 23 February 2025 |
| Lot number: 927 Price realized: 100 CHF (Approx. 111 USD / 106 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BYZANTINE SEALS, Provincial Administration. Commerciarii. Constantine, imperial commerciarios of Thrace and Macedon, 821-842. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 32 mm, 22.93 g, 12 h), struck under Theophilos, after 821, Thessalonika. ΘEOFILOS BASIΛEOYC Crowned facing bust of Theophilus, wearing loros; below, indiction date L IH(?); the whole within round wreathed border. Rev. + KΩΝC/TANTI BS KO/MEPK' ΘΡΑΚ S/ MAKEΔ' in five lines within round wreathed border. Unpublished, and unknown for Theophilos. Cf. Zacos 282, & p.189 table 32, for a typologically similar seal of Michael III issued before 821. See Zacos p.189. Extremely rare late commerciarii seal. Extensive crack on the right side, otherwise, very fine. The Zacos 282 seal which we give as parallel to this piece, is actually issued from the same Constantine as our seal. The first line of the reverse inscription in that seal should be corrected to KΩΝ (abbreviated name of Constantine) instead of [T]ΩΝ. In any case, the present seal remains one of the last, if not the last, Commerciarii seal issued. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 1:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 33 | Auction date: 15 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 3037 Price realized: 1,400 CHF (Approx. 1,581 USD / 1,454 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Aposachles (Abu Sahl) Senacherim, nobellisimos, circa 1075-1100. Seal (Lead, 32 mm, 29.02 g, 12 h). [Θ / ΘE]/O/ΔⲰ/PO/C - ΔH/[MHTPIOC]; on either side of medallion, IC -XC Saint Theodore, on the left, and Saint Demetrios, on the right, both raising their hands in gesture of supplication towards medallion of Christ in between them. Rev. +KЄ R,HΘ, / AΠOCAXΛH / NⲰRЄΛΛICI/MⲰ TⲰ CЄNA/XHPЄIM ('Lord, help Abu Sahl, nobelissimos') in five lines; above and below, decorations. W. Seibt: The Sons of Senek'erim Yovhannēs, the Last King of Vaspurakan, as Byzantine Aristocrats, in: Revue des Études Arméniennes 37 (2016-2017), p. 119-133, p. 124, fig 4.A . An interesting seal of great importance to Armenian history. Some scrapes and minor marks, otherwise, very fine. Ex Concordia E-Auction 13, 9 March 2024, 706. Aposachles, or Abusahl, was an Armenian prince and one of the sons of Senek'erim Yovhannēs (Sennacherib-John), the last Artsruni King of the small kingdom of Vaspurakan, located to the south and southeast of lake Van. He was named after his grandfather, King Abusahl Hamazasp, who ruled in 958/9-968/9. In 1022, Abusahl's father, Yovhannēs, was forced to cede his kingdom to the Byzantine Empire after he made the unfortunate choice of joining the anti-Byzantine alliance of the Georgian King Georgi I (998/1002-1027). Although the king is not attested on seals, his wife Chususa and his sons David, Atom, Aposachles and Constantine all appear in the sigillographic record with Byzantine court titles, giving evidence of their elevated status in Byzantine aristocracy. The family members of Aposachles usually only start mentioning civil and military titles on their seals after the battle of Manzikert. However, a seal that appeared in one of our previous sales (Leu Web Auction 20 (2022), 3140), shows that Aposachles was already a strategos at an earlier date. His known seals record his advancement from magistros to proedros, kouropalates and eventually nobellisimos. This seal type therefore marks his highest known dignity. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 2:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 33 | Auction date: 15 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 3049 Price realized: 320 CHF (Approx. 361 USD / 332 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Nikolaos Skleros, proedros and protasekretis, last quarter 11th century. Seal (Lead, 32 mm, 19.19 g, 12 h). +ΘKЄ R, [...] ΠΡOЄΔP, S ΠPOT,CHKPITI TⲰ CKΛHP, - H OΔHΓHTPIA - MHP ΘV The Mother of God 'Hodegetria', nimbate, wearing chiton and maphorion, pointing with her right hand towards Infant Christ seated on her left arm. Rev. In left field: [Θ ΘЄO]/ΔⲰ/PO; In upper field: [Θ NIKOΛ]; Across upper and right fields: Θ – ΓЄ/Ⲱ/P/Γ, Nimbate standing figures of Saint Theodore, holding a spear in his right hand and resting his left on sword, Saint Nicholas, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left, and Saint George, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Unpublished in the standard references. Cf. Seibt, Skleroi no. 22 for the career of Nikolaos Skleros. A very important new seal for a well-known and high-ranking Byzantine aristocrat. Some scrapes and surface roughness, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. This impressive seal undoubtedly belongs to Nikolaos Skleros, a prominent Byzantine civil official of the late 11th century, known from several seals and his correspondence with the renowned Byzantine scholar Michael Psellos. We can be certain of this attribution because some of Nikolaos' known seals, which are always of the highest artistic quality, feature the same Hodegetria on the obverse, paired with the same trio of saints on the reverse. This particular seal likely dates to the later stages of his career, as the rank of proedros (or possibly [proto]proedros) can be read in the circular inscription. His office on the seal is protasekretis, a rare and high-ranking civic office, which had not previously been attested on his seals. The reverse features Saint Nicholas, Nikolaos' namesake, flanked by two of Byzantium's most beloved military saints, Saint Theodore and Saint George, clearly indicating that the seal's owner was under the protection of all three. The fine style and rich iconography of this seal not only highlight the Byzantine seal as an objet d'art, but also offer a fascinating glimpse into the pious life of Byzantium's citizens. Starting price: 75 CHF |  |
Match 3:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 33 | Auction date: 15 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 2985 Price realized: 700 CHF (Approx. 791 USD / 727 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, 913-959. Seal (Lead, 32 mm, 17.46 g, 12 h). +IhS[ЧS XRIS]TЧS Bust of Christ Pantokrator facing, with decorated cross behind his head, holding book of Gospels in his left hand and raising his right in benediction. Rev. +COn... Constantine VII, with a long beard, wearing a crown with pendilia and a loros crossed before his chest, holding a globe surmounted by a patriarchal cross in his right hand. Zacos/Veglery 70a. Cf. DO Seals VI 63 (nimbus cruciger on obverse, different style of loros on reverse). An extremely rare imperial seal. Some surface roughness, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Starting price: 50 CHF |  |
Match 4:
| Leu Numismatik AG > Web Auction 33 | Auction date: 15 March 2025 |
| Lot number: 2976 Price realized: 2,600 CHF (Approx. 2,936 USD / 2,701 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Theodosius III of Adramytium, 715-717. Seal (Lead, 38 mm, 36.97 g, 12 h). The Mother of God "Hodegetria" standing facing, nimbate, wearing chiton and maphorion, pointing with her right hand towards Infant Christ seated on her left arm. On the left and right, cypress trees with the tops bending slightly towards the Mother of God. Rev. dN TҺЄOdO-SIЧS MЧL A Bust of Theodosius III, facing, wearing crown with cross and loros crossed over his chest and falling over his left arm, and holding a globe surmounted with a patriarchal cross in right hand, akakia in left hand. DO Seals VI -. Sokolova, State Hermitage Museum -. Zacos/Veglery 32. A magnificent and extremely rare imperial seal of the finest style of the period. Minor surface roughness, otherwise, extremely fine. From a European collection, formed before 2005. Theodosius III of Adramyttium (circa May 715-25 March 717) was one of the most unusual and short-lived figures to sit on the Byzantine throne. Originally a humble tax collector, he was reluctantly proclaimed emperor by the rebellious fleet and troops of the Opsician Theme. Lacking real military experience, he led his followers to Chrysopolis and captured Constantinople in November 715. His predecessor, Anastasios II, held out for several months before withdrawing to a monastery. However, Theodosius' reign remained fragile. Many Byzantine provinces refused to recognize him, particularly the powerful troops of the Anatolic and Armeniac Themes under their ambitious commanders. One of them, Leo the Isaurian, declared himself emperor in 716 and secured an alliance with the Umayyad Caliphate. To strengthen his position, Theodosius turned to the Bulgarians under Khan Tervel, recognizing their control over the Zagoria region and agreeing to pay tribute in exchange for securing the empire's northern border. Yet Leo's advance proved unstoppable. In 717, he marched on Constantinople, capturing Nicomedia and taking Theodosius' son prisoner. With his power crumbling, Theodosius was advised by Patriarch Germanus and the Senate to abdicate. On 25 March 717, he formally surrendered the throne to Leo and retired to a monastery with his son, where he likely remained until his death, possibly on 24 July 754. Starting price: 200 CHF |  |
Match 5:
| Nomos AG > obolos 36 | Auction date: 23 February 2025 |
| Lot number: 926 Price realized: Unsold | |
| Lot description: BYZANTINE SEALS, Provincial Administration. Georgios, apo hypaton and dioiketes of the provinces, circa 7th century. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 24 mm, 13.24 g, 12 h). ✝ΓΕω / ΡΓΙΟV Α / ΠΟ VΠΑ / ΤωΝ (Georgios apo hypaton (= consul) in four lines; all within a plain border. Rev. S ΔΙΟΙ / ΚΗΤΟV Τ / ωΝ ΕΠ ΑΡ / ΧΙωΝ ( dioiketes ton eparchia = and tax collector of the provinces) in four lines; all within plain border. Cf. DOC BZS.1947.2.534 (same owner, but differing inscription). An attractive and intriguing wholly epigraphic seal, without a religious invocation. About extremely fine. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
