MONTROSE, Calif. – An Egyptian panel from a Book of the Dead dating to the late Ptolemaic Period (circa 664-30 BC) and a 280 million-year-old amphibian fossil with complete skeleton and soft tissue preservation are just two outstanding items in an Exceptional Fall Antiquities Sale planned for Saturday, October 19th, by Ancient Resource Auctions, starting at 9 am Pacific time.

The online-only auction is packed with over 400 lots of fine, museum-quality ancient and ethnographic antiquities, to include authentic and well-provenanced ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Islamic, Byzantine, and Pre-Columbian antiquities and ethnographic items, including a wonderful selection of natural history and fossil items.

“We’re featuring an incredible selection of antiquities from a wide array of cultures,” said Gabriel Vandervort of Ancient Resource Auctions. “In addition, we’re also offering many fabulous fossils. Collectors will scoop up wonderful pieces at really great prices.”

All lots may be viewed and bid on now, via Ancient Resource Auctions’ bidding platform, at bid.AncientResourceAuctions.com, and on its bidding apps for both Android and Apple devices. Bidding is available on Invaluable.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. The link to LiveAuctioneers is here, at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/150704_a79-exceptional-fall-antiquities-sale/.

The ancient Egyptian panel from a Book of the Dead, 36 inches wide by 12 inches tall and nicely housed in a rectangular frame, is a lovely example of an important part of the Egyptian funerary kit. The panel features a central vignette depicting the deceased standing before Osiris, holding a jar with offerings, with additional offerings atop a table between them (est. $30,000-$45,000).

The amphibian fossil is that of Archegosaurus, which once inhabited the Permian swamps of what is now western Germany. These amphibians even pre-date the dinosaurs. Fine grade fossils of Archegosaurus are in great demand by advanced collectors and museums. Complete examples like this one, with an overall length of 41 ¼ inches, are exceedingly rare (est. $35,000-$45,000).

A rare, museum-class, giant Callopterus fish fossil from the Toarcian Period (circa 183-175.6 million years ago), also unearthed in Germany, is impeccably preserved, with stunning fins and a perfectly spread and intact caudal (tail) fin. The limestone slab, 37 ½ inches long, is heavy and a half-inch thick. The Callopterus fish were a large, Jurassic predatory fish (est. $18,000-$25,000).

A remarkable Roman marble head of a panther, from the 1st or 2nd century AD, 7 ½ inches tall, with extremely well-modeled facial details including deep-set eyes, elaborate ears and an open mouth with teeth, should bring $16,000-$20,000. The sculpture, carved from a beautifully veiny marble, would have been part of a larger marble furniture fragment, most likely a table leg.

A very well detailed Greek terracotta relief scene from the 5th century BC, depicting two women seated on ornate chairs and facing each other, appearing to be in conversation as they spin a fiber into yarn, is estimated to hit $8,000-$12,000. This type of mold-made, partially in the round terracotta relief would likely have been affixed to a large funerary vessel for a wealthy person.

An important Taino mushroom-capped anthropic sculpture from around 1000-1500 AD, possibly depicting Deminan Caracaracol, one of the four creation brothers of Taino mythology, should change hands for $6,000-$10,000. Complex symbolic glyphs decorate the cap, head and lower back of the 15 ½ inch tall sculpture, which is made of magnetite and has a strong magnetic field.

An Egyptian polychrome Ptah-Sokar-Osiris from the Late Period (circa 1075-974 BC), depicted mummiform on a rectangular integral base and wearing a tripartite headdress surmounted by a crown of ostrich feathers and a solar disc above cow’s horns, 25 ¼ inches tall, has an estimate of $6,000-$9,000. The figure is in excellent condition, with much of the original paint preserved.

A fantastic Egyptian deep blue glazed ushabti (small item taking the form of a mummified human figure, in glazed earthenware), from the 3rd Intermediate Period Dynasty 21 (circa 1075-974 BC), 5 ¾ inches tall, is expected to reach $6,000-$8,000. The figure, wearing a striated wig and with arms folded at chest, is a gorgeous example, with black details and a vivid blue glaze.

A nice Near Eastern bronze horse bit with elaborate cheekpieces, each in the form of griffins, one of the most popular hybrid creatures depicted in the art of Western Asia, should command $3,500-$4,500. The body is long, with a central hole for the bit, with loops at the rump and shoulders fore attachment of the check straps. The overall total bit is about 6 ¾ inches in length.

In addition to live and internet bidding, phone and absentee bids will be accepted. When bidding this way, a 19.5 percent buyer’s premium will apply, versus a 24.5 percent when bidding online via LiveAuctioneers.com or Invaluable.com, and 20 percent via the Ancient Resource Auctions bidding platform and app. Previews are by appointment only; to schedule one call 818-425-9633.

Ancient Resource Auctions is one of the few specialized auction houses that makes genuine ancient artifacts available to its worldwide client base at reasonable prices. “We are a small operation with a passion and dedication for ancient history,” Gabriel Vandervort commented. “My partners and I have many decades of combined experience working with these fine items.”

Ancient Resource Auctions is always seeking quality ancient art and antiquities for future auctions. To inquire about consigning one piece or an entire collection, you may call 818-425-9633 or send an e-mail to ancientresourceauctions@yahoo.com. All inquiries are confidential.

To learn more about Ancient Resource Auctions and the Saturday, October 19th Fall Exceptional Antiquities Sale, visit www.AncientResourceAuctions.com. For more information, please call 818-425-9633 or send an e-mail to ancientresourceauctions@yahoo.com.

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