Four items which were in the original brochure catalogue have been removed by Christie’s from auction this month due to allegations that they had been looted.

The Greek and Roman items were quietly withdrawn without explanation.

Professor Christos Tsirogiannis spotted their removal. The leading Cambridge University field archaeologist said that there was evidence which linked the antiquities to convicted traffickers of antiquities. The items in question were a Roman marble hare, a bronze Roman eagle and two Attic vases.

“These companies advertise due diligence and transparency – and in practice it’s exactly the opposite,” Mr Tsirogiannis told The Guardian.

Mr Tsirogiannis was privy to thousands of images and other material seized from Gianfranco Becchina during police raids in Greece and Italy from individuals involved in smuggling in the early 2000s due to his research. Mr Becchina was convicted in Greece for illegally dealing in antiquities.

READ MORE: Parthenon Marbles were looted: Experts say there was no Ottoman edict allowing Lord Elgin to remove them

Mr Tsirogiannis found apparent links to the convicted trafficker in the four antiquities on the three-part Christies auction which ends on 16 June.

In one example sited by the professor, the Roman Hare which originally appeared as lot 49 in the catalogue was dated to the second to third century AD with an estimate of $20,000 (£15,900) to $30,000 before it was removed.

“The hare is depicted in the Becchina archive with its ears broken, but at least one of them is depicted lying in front of the sculpture. It was obviously restored later to its original position,” Mr Tsirogiannis said.

“According to a Becchina document, the hare was bought for 13,000 Italian lire, from a looter called ‘Tullio’ in 1987, which predates the ‘provenance’ given by Christie’s. Tullio sold several other – also unrestored – antiquities to Becchina at the same time.”

The professor also recognised the other artefacts.

READ MORE: Greek museum employee arrested over looted antiquities

A Christie’s spokeswoman confirmed the removal of the artefacts on the catalogue following “new information by the appropriate authorities”.