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.

Molly Morse Limmer

Specialist Head of Department
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. She was promoted to Specialist Head of the Department in New York in April 2010. Working closely with the international department head, Ms. Morse Limmer has facilitated several of the department’s 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); $1,766,000 for an Attic red-figured kylix attributed to Douris as Painter and to Python as Potter (June 2000); and the stunning $16,882,500 achieved for the Cycladic Marble Reclining Female Figure attributed to the Schuster Master (December 2010). She has been a Christie’s auctioneer since 2004, presiding on the podium for many of the stellar prices mentioned above.

Ms. Morse Limmer holds an M.A. in Greek and Roman art from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and a B.A. (with honors) 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.