Artistic Bust of St. Nicholas

CNG 100, Lot: 2059. Estimate $500. Sold for $800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Nicephorus. Ostiarios and protosynkellos, circa 11th century. PB Seal (27mm, 7.92 g, 12h). Facing bust of St. Nicholas, wearing pastoral vestments, raising right hand in benediction, holding Gospels in left; O/ N/I/K/O-Λ/A/O/C across field / + KЄ ROHΘ,/ Tω Cω ΔOVΛ,/ NIKHΦOPO/ OCTIAP, KAI/ A’KVNHΓ in five lines; – + – above and below. Unpublished in the standard references. EF, brown patina, crack along channel on obverse.

From the Prue Morgan Fitts Collection. Ex Triton V (15 January 2002), lot 2303.