AN EGYPTIAN PTOLEMAIC GLASS INLAY OF A KNEELING PHAROAH Ptolemaic Period, circa 305 - 30 B.C. Of dark blue glass, the fragment depicts the upright torso with the legs bent underneath the body, wearing a striated kilt, 3.2cm long, Provenance: Priva te UK collection.

A GANDHARAN SCHIST PALETTE Circa 2nd - 4th Century A.D. Of dark green schist, the palette is divided into four rectangular depressions into which make-up would have been mixed, 8.2 x 6.3cm, Provenance: Private UK collection.

THREE OSTROGOTHIC FIBULAE IN THE FORM OF CICADAS Circa 5th - 6th Century A.D. Including an example with a triangular body decorated with a series of punched circles and flanked by a pair of pointed wings, terminating in a triangular head with prot ruding rounded eyes, 2.5cm long; an example with a sharply pointed head with large triangular eyes in relief and short thorax decorated with three raised ribs and triangular wings, 4.7cm long; and an example with a short triangular body, pointed wings decorated by short incised lines, terminating in a rectangular head marked with a series of diagonal incisions representing the eyes, 4.7cm long (3) Provenance: The first from a UK collection, acquired 1989, the latter two from private UK collections.

A SASSANIAN GOLD RING WITH ISLAMIC INTAGLIO Persian, circa 9th-10th century A.D. A Sassanian gold ring, consisting of a solid-cast hoop, with hammered ends soldered to the underside of the bezel, the bezel decorated with a border of gold dots and a larger gold ball at one end, with a slightly later oval carnelian with Kufic engraving, which reads as an inscription for 'Ali bin al-Husayn', ring size: P. Literature: For a similar, though less attractive example of an Islamic ring complete with Kufic inscription, see one now housed in the Ashmolean Museum (Acc. no. EAX.3100), Provenance: Private collection UK, acquired between 1960 and 1980.