Ancient Art & Antiquities
Christie’s is the market leader for Antiquities and the only auction house to hold international sales in both New York and London. Four times per year, the department offers the finest examples of Classical and Egyptian sculpture, Attic and South Italian pottery, and ancient Greek, Roman and Near Eastern gemstones and jewellery, achieving world record results by attracting a wide range of collectors — both dedicated Antiquities collectors and new buyers.
Recent sales in London include an Assyrian gypsum relief of a Winged Genius, from the collection of Sam Josefowitz, that sold for £3,912,000 (October 2023), and an Egyptian limestone group statue for Mehernefer and his son, once owned by King George III, that realized £6,014,500 (July 2022). In New York, sales have been equally robust, with recent highlights including a Roman sardonyx cameo portrait of the Emperor Claudius that realized $2,107,000 in the Rothschild Masterpieces auction (October 2023), and an Egyptian basalt falcon that sold for $4,830,000 (October 2021).
Our global team of specialists is always available for free and confidential valuations or to discuss the market for your antiquities. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss buying or selling at auction, online or through Private Sales.
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Claudio Corsi joined the Antiquities department at Christie’s in October 2016, after a 7-year-long career in the Antiquities market. He joined Bonhams in 2010 and for three years he was in charge of the bi-annual Antiquities sale in the Knightsbridge saleroom. He then moved to Chiswick Auctions where he set-up their Antiquities and Tribal Art Department.
Claudio started his studies at the University of Siena, Italy, where he obtained a BA in Archaeology and an MA in Classical Archaeology, gaining valuable practical experience joining excavation campaigns in Italy and Greece. He then earned an MPhil in Heritage Studies at Cambridge University, UK, where he expanded his knowledge on the issues surrounding the movement of cultural and archaeological goods and their importance in modern day society.
Chanel Clarke is a Specialist in the Antiquities Department, based in London. Chanel started at Christie’s in 2014 in the Client Services department, handling external and internal queries relating to all aspects of bidding, buying and selling. In 2016 she joined the Antiquities department as Sale Coordinator and was appointed Junior Specialist the same year and later Associate Specialist. In her role as Specialist, she sources and appraises material across Europe, contributing to the department’s biannual sales through provenance research and cataloguing.
Chanel graduated from The University of Edinburgh with a first class MA Joint Honors in Classics and the Scandinavian Languages, where she had focussed predominantly on Early and Archaic Greek art and archaeology.
Emma is a consultant for the London Antiquities Department with over 20 years of experience working with ancient artefacts for auction houses, independent valuers and private clients. She originally joined the department in 1999 and has worked on the bi-annual London auctions, as well as being instrumental in single owner collections and private sales, with highlights including the sale of the Jenkins Venus for 7.9 million in 2002, the Crosby Garret Helmet for 2.3 million in 2011 and the Egyptian limestone statue of Sekhemka for 15.7 million in 2014. Emma is an Honours graduate in Ancient History from London University, with a particular interest in classical vases and sculpture.
