Ancient Art & Antiquities

G. Max Bernheimer

International Department Head
New York

G. Max Bernheimer organizes auctions in this specialized area of Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Egyptian and Near Eastern art and artifacts. In the years following the opening of the New York department in 1992, Christie's has grown to become the international auctioneer in ancient art. Highlights of his career include Ancient Glass formerly in the G. Sangiorgi Collection in June 1999; Ancient Greek Vases formerly in the Collection of Dr. Elie Borowski, in June 2000; The Morven Collection of Ancient Art in June 2004; and Ancient Egyptian Art from the Harer Family Trust Collection in December 2005. The New York Antiquities Department has earned numerous world-record prices during his tenure, including $1,766,000 for a Greek red-figured vase; $1,808,000 for a Kiliya “Stargazer” Idol; $2,816,000 for an Egyptian antiquity; and $424,000 for a Near Eastern cylinder seal.

Mr. Bernheimer has participated in archeological excavations at Caesarea in Israel, sponsored jointly by the University of Maryland and Haifa University. He is highly knowledgeable in ancient gems and jewelry, having written his thesis on "Greek Engraved Gems in the Collection of the Harvard University Art Museums." He is the author of several volumes documenting the collection of Dr. Elie Borowski including, "Ancient Gems from the Borowski Collection (2007)"; "Glories of Ancient Greece (2001)" an exhibition catalogue for ancient Greek vases and jewelry from the collection; "Reflections on Ancient Glass from the Borowski Collection (2002);" and a contributor to the exhibition catalogue "Dragons, Monsters and Fabulous Beasts (2004)" at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem.

Mr. Bernheimer holds a B.A. from Clark University and an M.A. in Classical Civilizations from Harvard University. He studied at the Intercollegiate Center for the Classical Studies in Rome and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens.

Sarah Hornsby

Department Head
London, South Kensington

Sarah Hornsby led the world record-breaking sale of The Jenkins Venus from Newby Hall for £7,926,650, the highest price for an ancient classical marble sculpture ever sold at auction (2002). This narrowly defeated her previous record of £7,701,500 for The Canford Assyrian relief (1994). She oversaw the sale of the Celtic Gold Warrior Fibula to the British Museum for £1,103,750, a world record auction price for ancient gold jewellery (2001). Her considerable experience in organizing and promoting auctions of high-profile antiquities' collections has contributed to such successful Christie's sales as The Desmond Morris Collection of Cypriot Antiquities (2001), The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, parts 1 and 2 (2002 and 2004), The Heidi Vollmoeller Collection (2003) and The Leo Mildenberg Collection of Ancient Animals (2004). She has also negotiated a series of private sales for Christie's clients to British Museums, including sales of the Anglo-Saxon Wessex Jewel and the Boss Hall Treasure.

Ms. Hornsby started her career at Christie's in 1988, contributing a wide-ranging knowledge of ancient art, including the Classical World, Egypt and the Near East, and particularly specializing in Greek and Roman antiquities. Sarah is a First Class Honours graduate in Classics at Kings College, London. She has conducted post-graduate research at Newnham College, Cambridge and at the British School of Archaeology, Athens.

Christine Insley Green

Senior Specialist
London, South Kensington

Christine Insley Green joined the department in 1979, and has been responsible for cataloguing and promoting numerous high profile sales, including the Canford Assyrian relief which achieved the then highest price for an antiquity, selling for £7,701,500 in 1994. As Christie's Egyptologist, Christine is an Honours graduate in Ancient Egyptian and Nubian. Formerly at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, she spent three years excavating in Egypt and four years teaching Ancient History at the University of Khartoum. Her publications include ‘The Temple Furniture of the Egyptian Exploration Society’s Excavations at Saqqara’.

Emma Saber

Specialist
London, King Street

Since joining Christie’s Antiquities Department in 1999, Emma Saber has been responsible for cataloguing and marketing the twice-yearly London sales. She has also been a key figure in several collection sales, including the Jenkins Venus, which achieved £7,926,750 in 2002, setting a new record for an ancient stone sculpture sold at auction; the Mildenberg Collection in October 2004 (£3,617,459); The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, Parts I and II, in 2002 and 2004 (£1,375,946 and £1,605,806, respectively); The Heidi Vollmoeller Collection in October 2003 (£1,417,632), and The Stanford Place Collection in April 2006 (£2,186,880).

Emma has an Honours degree in Ancient History from London University and a Diploma in the Fine and Decorative Arts from Christie’s Education.

Molly Morse Limmer

Head of Sale
New York

Since joining the Antiquities Department in 1997, Molly Morse Limmer has played a pivotal role in the ever growing success of Christie's antiquities sales in New York. Working closely with the international department head, Ms. Morse Limmer has helped the department achieve several world auction records for ancient objects including $2,816,000 for an Egyptian sculpture for an Old Kingdom group statue of Ka-Nefer and his family (December 2005); $1,808,000 for an Anatolian marble female idol of Kiliya type (June 2005); and $1,766,000 for an Attic red-figured kylix attributed to Douris as Painter and to Python as Potter (June 2000) She has been a Christie’s auctioneer since 2004.

Ms. Morse Limmer holds an M.A. in Greek and Roman art from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and a B.A. in Classics and Art History from Brown University. She studied at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. Her graduate thesis, The Evolution of an Early Christian Iconography: The Sacrifice of Isaac in the Catacombs of Rome, explored the iconography of this biblical theme in its early Christian context.