Hermann Historica, an auction house located near Munich, will host five auction sessions from 22 to 26 November, offering a total of 3,500 lots. Art, antiques and treasures from military history dating back several millennia are on offer and will undoubtedly delight collectors.
The sale titled 'Arts and Crafts, Asian Artefacts, Antiques' will start on 22 November with 879 lots. This work by Rembrandt's pupil, Nicolas Maes, illustrates the young William III of Orange-Nassau, the future governor of the Netherlands, in the guise of Cupid.
War chests were once used to transport money and goods, or to store weapons and armour that soldiers had access to in times of crisis. The itinerant armies, on the other hand, put the spoils of war there and used it to negotiate with other clans in order to resolve conflicts through economic exchanges rather than violence. To prevent theft, sturdy war chests were forged with sophisticated locking mechanisms. A remarkably preserved example, this is a late Gothic war chest made in Nuremberg around 1510-1520.
Collectors of Far Eastern treasures will be able to get their hands on a Taoist ceremonial vessel, which, according to its inscription, "was intended for use on the golden altar of the great sacrifice", in addition to a magnificent bowl of the Qianlong period. The bowl with a yellow background is decorated with lucky bats and centred with a Shòu sign, a symbol of longevity.
Among the antiquities is this upper part of a Greek funerary stele from the 6th century BC, from the last resting place of a warrior, or more precisely of a lancer. The warrior's head is depicted in profile in the archaic style, and part of the spear can be seen under the chin.
This lot boasts the highest estimated price of the total offer in this auction (starting price €350,000). This is a partially gold-plated silver vase from the 5th/6th centuries whose decorations – the Chi-Rho with alpha and omega, a sheep and a peacock – make it recognisable as an early Christian vessel.
23 November will be dedicated to the 'Ancient Weapons and Armour around the World' auction, which includes a total of 276 lots. One of the highlights of the selection is none other than this extraordinary shamshir commemorating two important men: its creator Asadullah Isfahani, one of the most important blacksmiths of the East, and Nadir Shah Afshar, who ruled Persia from 1736 to 1747, and is often compared to Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. This magnificent weapon, worth €40,000, is dedicated to him.
These heavy Savoyard helmets from around 1600 are also known as 'skull helmets' because of their round eye openings. The otherwise completely closed design protected well against musket balls.
In the selection of 876 lots of the sale 'Firearms of the last Five Centuries', which will be held on 23 November, it is worth noting an important hunting wheel lock rifle, made by an Austrian master circa 1640-50. Collectors will also find a specimen of the first truly functional self-loading pistol and an ammunition belt from the time of the Thirty Years' War.
The auction will continue on 25 November with a catalogue of 522 lots titled 'Orders and Militaria until 1918'. There are some rare merit badges included, such as a Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class Cross.
Also presented is an old badge for pilots of military planes of the German Empire. The planes were incorporated into the German Air Force in 1910, which until then had only used airships.
Another key lot in the selection is this uniform of the Tsarist Empire, the rarest model of the Imperial Russian Army. Collectors will also be able to bid on a set of 1st class orders of the Order of Saint-Stanislas created by court jeweller Eduard.
One of the most fascinating, and tragic, lots is the black silk glove that the Empress Elisabeth of Austria wore on her right hand during her assassination in Geneva on 10 September 1898. Count Berzeviczy, the deputy chief steward of the empress, had taken the glove after the empress's passing and finally handed it over to the family of the empress's older sister, Princess Helene von Thurn und Taxis. The glove is accompanied by a comb from Elisabeth and a handwritten certificate of authenticity from the count. The spectacular memento of 'Empress Sisi' begins bidding at €12,000.
The auction series will conclude on 26 November with the 931 lots from the 'Orders and Militaria from 1919' auction.
Discover all lots of the auction lots right here on Barnebys