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Waugh, Bill (contemporary) “THE ROYAL AND ANCIENT CLUBHOUSE...
Waugh, Bill (contemporary) “THE ROYAL AND ANCIENT CLUBHOUSE ST ANDREWS C.1890” –oil on canvas signed by the artist as well as inscribed on the reverse and dated 1990 - image 8 x 12” – overall 11” x 15”Read more
United Kingdom- 4d 1h
- Low estimate
- Show bid 150 GBP
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Collection of Eleven Ancient Roman Bronze Decorative Plates from...
Description: Ancient Roman Bronze Hinged Fleur de Lis style plates with incised line decoration for adornment of a Chariot. This item includes a lifetime authenticity certificate.Material: BronzeCondition: Fine condition with nice ancient green patina. Excellent preservation. Museum Quality statement display items. Date: C. 100 - 300 A.D. Size: 150 mm - 260mm; 326/3590Provenance: The Supplier warrants that is has obtained this lot in a legal manner.Obtained from an old British collection, property of a London collector, purchased between 1960-1990. When bidding and buying items from us you can be assured that:You will find an interesting variety of antiquities and coins.Items offered are unconditionally guaranteed to be authenticPostage will be handled quickly and professionally.All items are posted up to 48 hours after payment is made with registered mail.For multiple purchases shipping will be combined and discountedIf you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.Important information.The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot.The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged.The seller will inform the buyer about this if this takes more than a few days.Read more
- United Kingdom
- 4d 12h
- Low estimate
- Show bid 980 GBP
Ancient Roman Iron Cavalry Lancehead with Display Stand - 30.5cm
Description: Ancient Roman Iron Lancehead with Central Rib and integral hollow handle. Lateral holes and ribs at base for attachment to shaft. This item includes a lifetime authenticity certificate.Material: IronCondition: Fine ancient brown Patina. Museum Quality Statement Display Piece.Date: C. 100 B.C. - 300 A.D.Measurements: 305mm; 385gramsItem ID p143Provenance: The Supplier warrants that is has obtained this lot in a legal manner. Property of a London gentleman; formerly in 1970s collection.When bidding and buying items from us you can be assured that:You will find an interesting variety of antiquities and coins.Items offered are unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.Postage will be handled quickly and professionally.All items are posted up to 48 hours after payment is made with registered mail.For multiple purchases shipping will be combined and discountedIf you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.Important information.The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot.The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged.The seller will inform the buyer about this if this takes more than a few days.Read more
- United Kingdom
- 4d 11h
- Low estimate
- Show bid 200 GBP
This finely made bull was cast in one piece with its rectangular base or plinth. Horns curve upward from the bull’s head, which has a rounded muzzle. The eyes of the bull are indicated by small protrusions of bronze, as are its pointed ears. The animal’s anatomy is more fully modeled than earlier dating examples from the Geometric period: the legs of the bull are carefully rendered, and its slim, elongated body is well modeled with shoulders and haunches subtly indicated. Made of solid bronze in the lost wax technique, this figure is unique, since it was produced from the original wax model that was destroyed in the casting process.Read more
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Ancient Egyptian Faience Kohl Jar
This beautiful faience jar is both ornamental and practical, a wonderful example of an Egyptian vessel. In the shape of baboon grasping two facing rams (one by the horns, the other by its body). The jar is an ivory colored faience, with details (the horns, hoofs, tails of the rams, and the ears of the baboon) in brown. On the top of the baboon’s head is a small hole which would have allowed the owner to access the contents of the jar.Read more
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Early Terracotta Greek style decorated urn. 10-3/4"
Early Terracotta Greek style decorated urn. 10-3/4" high.Read more
- USA
- 18d 4h
- Low estimate
- Show bid 150 GBP
Ancient Roman Gold Duck Amulet
A small, solid gold amulet in the shape of a stylized duck. The simple, yet elegant, body is in the shape of a narrow, flat ellipse, and the well-rounded head and neck feature incised details, such as the eyes and the mouth. The body of the duck is pierced by two small holes, one of which is filled with an undetermined substance, probably stone or resin. The purpose of these holes is not clear. A loop protrudes from the chest and would have been used to suspend the duck as a pendant or from a necklace or collar.Read more
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Ancient Roman Pair of Gold Earrings with Garnets
A very fine pair of Roman earrings with garnet and carnelian. Each with triple twisted wire hoop mounted with tear-shaped cabochon garnet in ‘crown of Isis’ type with granulated border, with collared inverted pyramidal sphere cluster below.Read more
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Ancient Sassanian Pinched Glass Flask
This clear or yellowish blown glass bottle would probably used as a stoppered flask for perfumes or cosmetics. The tall, thin neck restricts the flow, allowing the user to carefully measure out amounts of the bottle’s precious contents.Read more
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This beautiful bowl is an excellent example of Islamic metalwork. The bowl itself is composed of bronze, while the interior of the vessel has been coated with a sheet of silver. Both the interior and exterior have been decorated with motifs typical of Islamic art of this period.Read more
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Ancient Roman Gold Ring with Deep Red Carnelian Bezel
This delightful finger ring is in the style of the 2nd century A. D., with two distinctive pairs of gold globules soldered to the junctions of the round hoop and bezel. A deep red carnelian is inset en cabochon in a circular bezel with a chased pattern around the border. Similar designs are found among the seal rings at Pompeii and Backworth, and also among later jewelry.Read more
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Ancient Bactrian Alabaster Chalice
This object, whose shape recalls a chalice, was carved from a monolith of calcite (alabaster) that is similar in color and appearance to the stone commonly used by Egyptian sculptors for luxury tableware in the late 4th millennium B.C. already. The clear, vertical veins that furrow the stem and the cylindrical vessel emphasize the impression of lightness conveyed by the work’s outline. Such a high degree of accuracy would have been achieved by the use of the centrifugal force produced by the rapid rotation of a potter’s wheel. The vessel was then carefully hand polished with sand for a smooth surface finish. As it is often the case in such remote periods and for cultures preceding the invention of writing, the exact purpose of this object remains unclear: a ritual vase, an incense burner, an offering to a deity or a gift between high-ranking figures are among the possible hypotheses.Read more
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Ancient Celtiberian Bronze Fibula comprised of Two Horse Protomes
Among the most ingenious bronze equestrian groups were those made by the Celtiberians in the form of bronze fibulae, which were introduced in the 6th century B.C. and continued to be produced for several centuries. Derived from bronze work of northern Italy and a typical motif for many Celtiberian bronzes, concentric circles decorate the bodies of this fibula’s horse protomes. Forming the bow of the fibula, the foreparts of two horses facing in opposite directions are joined at mid-body. The neck of the first horse is marked with five incised horizontal lines and its front hooves curve upward at one side to form the catchplate for the fibula’s spring pin. The front hooves of the second horse are pierced with a hole for the insertion of the pin, part of which is intact at the point of attachment to the fibula. Such zoomorphic fibulae with symmetrical horse protomes are similar in form to the distinctive Celtiberian bronze signa equitum (standards with horse finials) found at Numancia and now in the Museo Numantino, Soria.Read more
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Ancient Islamic Gold Ring With A Carnelian Bezel
This gold ring is a particularly fine example of a Medieval Islamic type which has a tapered rectangular bezel set with a dark carnelian engraved gem. The stone bears a calligraphic Kufic inscription below two braided knots. The flat carnelian is set in place by means of four sheet gold prongs. The joints of the ring are reinforced with small applied panels with repoussé scrolls below each claw, on the shoulders and around the hoop, while the underside of the bezel is further decorated with a fine interlace design inlaid with niello. The two longer sides of the bezel also appear to bear brief Kufic inscriptions. This type of ring is best known from Persia, where early examples appear in the 11th century, and, due to their popularity, continue to the late 13th century. Similar rings from hoards found in Central Asia help us to date our example to the 12th century A.D.Read more
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Native American Vintage Deguieno Potty Canteen, Ca 1940's, #1199
Native American Deguieno Potty Canteen, Ca 1940's, #1199 Description: #1199 Native American Deguieno Potty Canteen, Ca 1940's, San Diego Deguieno Canteen, circa 1940's. Made of clay, Alpine, Calif. Has lugs for carrying Dimensions: the item measures 6.5" x 4.5" x 8". . Condition: Good, some wear, but overall very good for age The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, formerly Kamia or Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled Kumiai. The Kumeyaay consist of two related groups, the Ipai and Tipai. The two coastal groups' traditional homelands were approximately separated by the San Diego River: the northern Ipai (extending from Escondido to Lake Henshaw) and the southern Tipai (including the Laguna Mountains, Ensenada, and Tecate). Language Nomenclature and tribal distinctions are not widely agreed upon. The general scholarly consensus (e.g., Langdon 1990) recognizes three separate languages: Ipai, Kumeyaay proper (including the Kamia), and Tipai in northern Baja California. Other authorities (e.g., Luomala 1978 and Pritzker 2000) see only two: Ipai and Tipai. However, this notion is not supported by speakers of the language (actual Kumeyaay people) who contend that within their territory, all Kumeyaay (Ipai/Tipai) can understand and speak to each other, at least after a brief acclimatization period.[2] All three languages belong to the Delta–California branch of the Yuman language family, to which several other linguistically distinct but related groups also belong, including the Cocopa, Quechan, Paipai, and Kiliwa. The term Kumeyaay means "those who face the water from a cliff".[3] Both "Ipai" and "Tipai" mean "people."[4] Some Kumeyaay in the southern areas also refer to themselves as MuttTipi, which means "people of the earth."[citation needed] Linguist Margaret Langdon is credited with doing much of the early work on documenting the language.[5] History Engraving published by Schott, Sorony, and Co., 1857 Evidence of settlement, in what is today considered Kumeyaay territory, may go back 12,000 years.[6] 7000 BCE marked the emergence of two cultural traditions: the California Coast and Valley tradition and the Desert tradition.[7] The Kumeyaay had land extending from the Pacific Ocean to present Ensenada, Mexico, and then on east to the Colorado River and north to what is known as Oceanside.[citation needed] The Cuyamaca complex, a late Holocene complex in San Diego County is related to the Kumeyaay peoples.[8] The Kumeyaay tribe also used to inhabit what is now a popular state park, known as Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.[9] One view holds that historic Tipai-Ipai emerged around 1000 years ago, though a "proto-Tipai-Ipai culture" had been established by about 5000 BCE.[1] Katherine Luomola suggests that the "nucleus of later Tipai-Ipai groups" came together around AD 1000.[7] The Kumeyaay themselves believe that they have lived in San Diego for 12,000 years.[10] At the time of European contact, Kumeyaay comprised several autonomous bands with 30 patrilineal clans.[4] Spaniards entered Tipai-Ipai territory in the late 18th century, bringing with them non-native, invasive flora, and domestic animals, which brought about degradation to local ecology. Under the Spanish Mission system, bands living near Mission San Diego de Alcalá, established in 1769, were called Diegueños.[4] After Mexico took over the lands from Spain, they secularized the missions in 1834, and Ipai and Tipais lost their lands; band members had to choose between becoming serfs, trespassers, rebels, or fugitives.[11] From 1870 to 1910, American settlers seized lands, including arable and native gathering lands. In 1875, President Ulysses Grant created reservations in the area, and additional lands were placed under trust patent status after the passage of the 1891 Act for the Relief of Mission Indians. The reservations tended to be small and lacked adequate water supplies.[12] Kumeyaay people supported themselves by farming and agricultural wage labor; however, a 20-year drought in the mid-20th century crippled the region's dry farming economy.[13] For their common welfare, several reservations formed the non-profit Kumeyaay, Inc.[14] Shawii is the name of the mush of acorn that was eaten daily by Kumeyaay .[15] Education The Kumeyaay Community College was created by the Sycuan Band to serve the Kumeyaay-Diegueño Nation, and describes its mission as "to support cultural identity, sovereignty, and self-determination while meeting the needs of native and non-Native students." The college's focus is on "Kumeyaay History, Kumeyaay Ethnobotany and traditional Indigenous arts." It "serves and relies on resources from the thirteen reservations of the Kumeyaay Nation situated in San Diego county."[16] Population] Further information: Population of Native California Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. In 1925, Alfred L. Kroeber proposed that the population of the Kumeyaay in the San Diego region in 1770 had been about 3,000.[17] More recently, Katharine Luomala points out that this estimate depended on calculations of rates of baptisms at the Mission, and as such "ignores the unbaptized." She suggests that the region could have supported 6,000-9,000 people.[18] Florence C. Shipek goes further, estimating 16,000-19,000 inhabitants.[19] In the late eighteenth century, it is estimated that the Kumeyaay population was between 3,000 and 9,000.[1] In 1828, 1,711 Kumeyaay were recorded by the missions. The 1860 federal census recorded 1,571 Kumeyaay living in 24 villages.[18] The Bureau of Indian Affairs recorded 1,322 Kumeyaay in 1968, with 435 living on reservations.[18] By 1990, an estimated 1,200 lived on reservation lands, while 2,000 lived elsewhere.[1] Tribes and reservations] Kumeyaay coiled basket, woven by Celestine Lachapa, 19th century, San Diego Museum of Man Kumeyaay willow storage basket at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California cultural museum, Mexicali The Kumeyaay live on 13 reservations in San Diego County, California in the United States and are enrolled in the following federally recognized tribes:[20] Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California: Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians (formerly the Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe Reservation) Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation Jamul Indian Village of California La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel (formerly Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa Ysabel Reservation) Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation They live on five communities in Baja California, including: Juntas de Neji La Huerta San Antonio Necua Santa Catarina San José de la Zorra.[10] (Source Wikipedia), Native American Deguieno Potty Canteen, Ca 1940's, #1199, Description: #1199 Native American Deguieno Potty Canteen, Ca 1940's, San Diego Deguieno Canteen, circa 1940's. Made of clay, Alpine, Calif. Has lugs for carrying, Dimensions: the item measures 6.5" x 4.5" x 8". . Condition: Good, some wear, but overall very good for age, The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, formerly Kamia or Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled Kumiai. The Kumeyaay consist of two related groups, the Ipai and Tipai. The two coastal groups' traditional homelands were approximately separated by the San Diego River: the northern Ipai (extending from Escondido to Lake Henshaw) and the southern Tipai (including the Laguna Mountains, Ensenada, and Tecate). Language, Nomenclature and tribal distinctions are not widely agreed upon. The general scholarly consensus (e.g., Langdon 1990) recognizes three separate languages: Ipai, Kumeyaay proper (including the Kamia), and Tipai in northern Baja California. Other authorities (e.g., Luomala 1978 and Pritzker 2000) see only two: Ipai and Tipai. However, this notion is not supported by speakers of the language (actual Kumeyaay people) who contend that within their territory, all Kumeyaay (Ipai/Tipai) can understand and speak to each other, at least after a brief acclimatization period.[2] All three languages belong to the Delta–California branch of the Yuman language family, to which several other linguistically distinct but related groups also belong, including the Cocopa, Quechan, Paipai, and Kiliwa. The term Kumeyaay means "those who face the water from a cliff".[3] Both "Ipai" and "Tipai" mean "people."[4] Some Kumeyaay in the southern areas also refer to themselves as MuttTipi, which means "people of the earth."[citation needed], Linguist Margaret Langdon is credited with doing much of the early work on documenting the language.[5], History, Engraving published by Schott, Sorony, and Co., 1857, Evidence of settlement, in what is today considered Kumeyaay territory, may go back 12,000 years.[6] 7000 BCE marked the emergence of two cultural traditions: the California Coast and Valley tradition and the Desert tradition.[7] The Kumeyaay had land extending from the Pacific Ocean to present Ensenada, Mexico, and then on east to the Colorado River and north to what is known as Oceanside.[citation needed] The Cuyamaca complex, a late Holocene complex in San Diego County is related to the Kumeyaay peoples.[8] The Kumeyaay tribe also used to inhabit what is now a popular state park, known as Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.[9], One view holds that historic Tipai-Ipai emerged around 1000 years ago, though a "proto-Tipai-Ipai culture" had been established by about 5000 BCE.[1] Katherine Luomola suggests that the "nucleus of later Tipai-Ipai groups" came together around AD 1000.[7] The Kumeyaay themselves believe that they have lived in San Diego for 12,000 years.[10] At the time of European contact, Kumeyaay comprised several autonomous bands with 30 patrilineal clans.[4], Spaniards entered Tipai-Ipai territory in the late 18th century, bringing with them non-native, invasive flora, and domestic animals, which brought about degradation to local ecology. Under the Spanish Mission system, bands living near Mission San Diego de Alcalá, established in 1769, were called Diegueños.[4] After Mexico took over the lands from Spain, they secularized the missions in 1834, and Ipai and Tipais lost their lands; band members had to choose between becoming serfs, trespassers, rebels, or fugitives.[11], From 1870 to 1910, American settlers seized lands, including arable and native gathering lands. In 1875, President Ulysses Grant created reservations in the area, and additional lands were placed under trust patent status after the passage of the 1891 Act for the Relief of Mission Indians. The reservations tended to be small and lacked adequate water supplies.[12], Kumeyaay people supported themselves by farming and agricultural wage labor; however, a 20-year drought in the mid-20th century crippled the region's dry farming economy.[13] For their common welfare, several reservations formed the non-profit Kumeyaay, Inc.[14], Shawii is the name of the mush of acorn that was eaten daily by Kumeyaay .[15], Education, The Kumeyaay Community College was created by the Sycuan Band to serve the Kumeyaay-Diegueño Nation, and describes its mission as "to support cultural identity, sovereignty, and self-determination while meeting the needs of native and non-Native students." The college's focus is on "Kumeyaay History, Kumeyaay Ethnobotany and traditional Indigenous arts." It "serves and relies on resources from the thirteen reservations of the Kumeyaay Nation situated in San Diego county."[16], Population], Further information: Population of Native California, Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. In 1925, Alfred L. Kroeber proposed that the population of the Kumeyaay in the San Diego region in 1770 had been about 3,000.[17] More recently, Katharine Luomala points out that this estimate depended on calculations of rates of baptisms at the Mission, and as such "ignores the unbaptized." She suggests that the region could have supported 6,000-9,000 people.[18] Florence C. Shipek goes further, estimating 16,000-19,000 inhabitants.[19], In the late eighteenth century, it is estimated that the Kumeyaay population was between 3,000 and 9,000.[1] In 1828, 1,711 Kumeyaay were recorded by the missions. The 1860 federal census recorded 1,571 Kumeyaay living in 24 villages.[18] The Bureau of Indian Affairs recorded 1,322 Kumeyaay in 1968, with 435 living on reservations.[18] By 1990, an estimated 1,200 lived on reservation lands, while 2,000 lived elsewhere.[1], Tribes and reservations], Kumeyaay coiled basket, woven by Celestine Lachapa, 19th century, San Diego Museum of Man, Kumeyaay willow storage basket at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California cultural museum, Mexicali, The Kumeyaay live on 13 reservations in San Diego County, California in the United States and are enrolled in the following federally recognized tribes:[20], Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California:, Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation, Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, (formerly the Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe Reservation), Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation, Jamul Indian Village of California, La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation, Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation, San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel (formerly Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa Ysabel Reservation), Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, They live on five communities in Baja California, including:, Juntas de Neji, La Huerta, San Antonio Necua, Santa Catarina, San José de la Zorra.[10], (Source Wikipedia)Read more
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Ancient Sumerian Head of a Bull
This charming copper head of a bull is solid cast and was probably fashioned using the lost wax technique. Certain details were cold incised with the help of a pointed tool (lines adorning the base of the horns, the folds of skin around the eyes and near the nostrils).Read more
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Ancient Luristan Bronze Female Deity
The statue is complete and in a very good state of preservation; the dark-colored surface is partially covered with a green patina, mostly on the upper body. The head is hollow, but the weight of the piece in the lower part suggests that the legs, or even part of the chest, are solid cast (the presence of clay within the hole does not allow us to determine how hollow the statue is). The cylindrical and narrow shape of the object dictates the thin and slender proportions of the woman reproduced by the statuette: she is standing upright on a small rectangular base with an irregular bottom which does not guarantee the object’s balance. Only few details of her clothing are clearly identifiable: she seems nevertheless to wear a tunic, whose neckline, upper part and sleeves are decorated with small vertical incisions, and a sort of long skirt that reaches her ankles, held by a belt, the ends of which form a reversed "V" on the legs. She is shod in small pointed boots barely separated by an incised line. Bronze rings, whose purpose may be purely ornamental, hang from the suspension rings attached to the shoulders. On the back of the piece and at ankle level, a suspension ring and a sort of small container with a rounded and closed base are soldered; their meaning and purpose still remain unclear, but suggest a system allowing the threading of a thin stem (vertically, both elements are on the same axis). To the simple and linear shapes of the body echoes a face with somewhat naive features and a severe expression: the arched brows in relief surmount the large almond-shaped eyes, the nose is straight and prominent, a small horizontal engraving indicates the mouth. The hair covers the head like a thick skullcap and descends down to the neck; in the upper part it terminates in a tubular-shaped edge which might have been used as a neck for the hollow part of the statuette. No precise elements enable us to identify the figure represented: the gesture performed by the woman (she bends her arms to her chest and encircles her bare breasts with her hands), whose very ancient iconographic tradition dates back to the Neolithic period, certainly links her with the sphere of fertility and fecundity. She could therefore be a deity. The function of this unique piece is enigmatic: the structure refers to the Luristan tubular "standards", a number of which represent a similar subject which are nevertheless entirely hollow and mostly devoid both of the shoulders rings and of the system on the back, and should therefore have another use. The closest parallel for this work - formally, but also stylistically - might be found in a pre-Achaemenid statuette from the David-Weill collection that P. Amiet presents as a female toiletry object, which perfectly matches with our example from an iconographic point of view: a mirror handle or a cosmetics case. This last hypothesis is particularly appealing, especially for our piece, since it can be imagined that after using the product, the small makeup stick would be threaded through the suspension ring and the lower base, thus remaining easily accessible.Read more
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Ancient Mesopotamian Bronze Bracelet with Female Heads
This solid cast bronze bracelet is impressive both for its size and for the strength of its abstract decoration. The bracelet is cast in two halves that are connected at one point by a hinge, allowing the bracelet to swing open to fit onto the wearer’s wrist. The opposite connection is held shut by a pin, now lost.Read more
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Phoenix Ancient Art 2007 Greek and Roman Gold Catalogue
2007 The works of art assembled in this catalogue are representative of Phoenix Ancient Art’s ongoing dedication to bring to the public only the highest quality and the most engaging subjects from the master craftsmen of antiquity. These works are testaments to the great artistic traditions of the past – works that can scarcely be rivaled even today for the beauty of their exquisitely crafted gold and jewelry.Read more
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Ancient Greek Core-Formed Glass Amphoriskos
This amphoriskos, or “miniature amphora,” is a bottle that contained scented oils or perfume. The custom of using delicately made glass vessels to hold valuable commodities began in the late Bronze Age in western Asia and Egypt, and was revived in Mesopotamia in the early Iron Age. Their small size and pleasantly rounded shape makes it possible to hold these vessels comfortably in one’s hand. The shape also occurs in terracotta, and rarely, metal, but ultimately this form copies that of the large transport amphorae of 6th century B.C. date, which were used for distribution of wine and olive oil throughout the Mediterranean.Read more
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Ancient Roman Bronze Figure of an Eros
With a joyful expression this nude Eros strides forward with outspread wings, almost in a graceful dance step. His chubby, rounded face is framed by spiral curls surmounted by a large knot of hair over the center of his forehead. The hair on top of his head is arranged in a braid with curls spiraling downward over the back of his neck. He stands on his left leg while his right leg is drawn back. His body is in a twisted, serpentine pose that adds a certain rhythm and liveliness to the bronze statuette. It is well-modeled: the nipples of the chest are indicated, the figure is open-mouthed, and the pupils of his eyes are made with punctuate dots, all of which further animate the god of love. He is represented with his left arm raised, offering up something held in his hand, while his right hand, also made to hold an object, is extended outward. The gesture is reminiscent of the standing and dancing pose of the lares (Roman guardian spirits), who usually hold a vessel for pouring libations or wine drinking in their upraised hand and a saucer or phiale in their lowered hand.Read more
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Ancient Hellenistic Greek Blue and Yellow Glass Amphoriskos
The amphoriskos is a class of small vessels which were widespread in the world of ancient glassware (approximately between the 6th and the 2nd century B.C.): there are two types that are morphologically and chronologically well differentiated. This piece belongs to the second group, the most recent, which has replaced the classical shape from the late 3rd and 2nd century. In all probability, they were designed to store and transport small quantities of valuable substances such as cosmetic products; other examples could serve as offerings or as elements of funeral furniture; in view of their miniature size, they could also be used as toys for children.Read more
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Ancient Greek Bronze Mirror with the Face of a woman
The mirror, which was cast, has a slightly concave edge and shows a series of circular lines, incised or in light relief, drawn with a compass during the finishing on a potter's wheel. The female mask was hammered in repousse from a thin bronze plate: originally, it certainly belonged to the lid of a box mirror. The contour of the face, oval and very even, is framed by the animated mass of the hair which forms an undulating line on the forehead. As is often the case during this period, the facial features of the young woman are gentle and idealized, although being a bit impersonal and mechanical at the same time; the smooth, tight skin does not reveal any muscles or wrinkles. The eyes are almond shaped, with the iris and pupils incised, the eyelids are arch-shaped and somewhat heavy; the lips are full and the chin is prominent, albeit rounded; unlike other female heads decorating mirrors, which simply resemble medallions, the metalworker who made this object added a small neck to support the face of the woman. A central part divides the hair on the skull: the hair falls to the temples and the ears in large, wavy locks furrowed by thin sinuous incisions; the ears are entirely covered. As the different state of preservation and the hollow formed by the hair on the upper head would prove, the woman might have worn a diadem or a crown, now lost: this detail is relevant, because the presence of such an adornment would allow us to confidently identify the woman with a mythological figure, perhaps Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. According to many scholars who have studied these mirrors, when the crown is made of ivy or vine leaves, the face would be to identify with Ariadne: the young woman was the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, the mythological king and queen of the island of Crete. After aiding Theseus in overcoming the Minotaur (who was her half-brother), Ariadne was abandoned in Naxos. On this island, Dionysus noticed her and, struck by her beauty, married her before taking her to Mount Olympus with him: from the god of wine, she received as a gift a gold diadem crafted by Hephaestus.Read more
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Ancient Egyptian Limestone Relief with fishing scene
The fragment, painted with remarkable skill, presents two figures carved in very low relief. It is certainly fishermen who move to the left carrying two of their prey. Of each of them, we see only the central part of the body, clothed with a clear loincloth, with fold and belt; Their skin, tanned by the sun, is dyed reddish-brown. The man on the left holds, supported on his back, a large catfish (Clarias Lazera), a species still widespread today in the rivers and lakes of the African continent. The African catfish is characterized by a long, slender body with long dorsal and ventral fins and a small tail: all these details have been scrupulously reproduced by the artist who decorated this fragment. The second fisherman caught a fish of another species, which is still suspended from its line: despite the rather slender silhouette, one is tempted to recognize a Nile perch (tilapia nilotica, another species well known days). The peach scenes belong to the representations of everyday life that regularly adorn the walls of the Egyptian tombs since the Old Kingdom. As was often the case at the beginning of the Late Period, the style is characterized by the search for a certain realism and a tendency to archaism.Read more
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Ancient Hellenistic Greek Core-Formed Glass Alabastron
This piece is a cylindrical alabastron with small lug handles. The glass is primarily a deep cobalt blue, ornamented with a rich mustard yellow and opaque white, which are applied in thin feathered bands. A thin thread of white glass spirals up the alabastron's slender neck to the wide rim.Read more
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Ancient Roman Bronze Eros Holding a Butterfly
While it is not unusual for Eros to be found occasionally in the company of a butterfly on gems or pottery, the representation of these companions in the form of a bronze statuette is rare. Eros has wings outspread and is naked except for a rolled fillet around his head. His face is expressive and he stands in a relaxed pose, very much like that of a small child. His right arm is extended outward while he holds the body of a butterfly in his left hand, its wings supported by his bent left arm. Details of his short hair and wing feathers, as well as the wings of the butterfly, are indicated by marks made by the coldworking of the bronze with a punch or gravure after casting.Read more
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Ancient Syrian Steatite Vessel decorated with a Lion Head
This receptacle consists of a hemispherical dish, carved from a single stone block, with a cylindrical tube exiting at the back of the piece. It is pierced with a small hole for a direct passage of the liquid inside the vessel from a reservoir (now lost), which was certainly made of a perishable material (such as a leather pouch). The part of the object that links the dish to the tube is shaped in the form of a lion protome, mouth open, exhibiting impressive fangs.Read more
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Ancient Roman Chariot Rein-Guide with Feline and Duck Head Finials
The terminal of this rein-guide is animated with the lively head of an open-mouthed snarling feline barring its teeth as it emerges from an arrangement of four semi-circular leaves, which surround the top of the iron pole that attached it to the chariot’s frame. The face of the feline is well-detailed, having round ears and a short tufted mane extending under the chin from ear to ear. The short fur of the animal’s muzzle is indicated with stippling applied after casting by cold-working the surface of the bronze. The face of the feline is finely cast with great attention to details: its prominent nose is wrinkled up and the fleshy musculature of the nose and the area above the eyes convey the natural appearance of a snarling animal. The bronze curving element of the rein-guide terminates with a duck’s head. The closest parallels for the rein-guide under consideration are provided by two examples located in Nordheim and Trier (C. Röring, Untersuchungen zu Römischen Reisewagen, pl.7, fig. 3, and pl. 12, fig. 1). For additional parallels and comparanda for the rein-guide see following Notes and Bibliography.Read more
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Ancient Roman Mold-Blown Glass Bottle With Birds
This opaque mold blown glass is a beautiful example of its type, the so-called “Bird Type”. This type was produced in or near Sidon, a Roman city in the Near East, in the first century A.D. Hexagonal in shape, this glass is decorated with birds or insects perched or flying over a nest or rock in relief on each of its sides.Read more
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Ancient Islamic Bowl Decorated with a Cross
This is a wonderful example of an Islamic bowl with a painted and lustered foot, decorated with a large cross. The painting is rather well preserved on the inside but there are some cracks on the outside, partially erasing the frieze that adorns the upper edge. The white slip covering the beige colored surface is still visible, highlighting the strong contrast of the brown painting.Read more
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The jug was free blown in the transparent olive green glass. It has the ovoid body on a slightly concave base, with a cylindrical neck and splayed folded rim. An opaque white trail was applied to the base and wound spirally around the body to the rim. A strap handle was applied to the shoulder and pulled up to the rim. The combination of colors is elegant and the decoration suits harmoniously the shape of the vessel.Read more
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Ancient Archaic Greek Terracotta Protome of a Woman with an “Archaic Smile”
Despite some chips, it is complete and in good condition. The veiled feminine head emerges in very high relief on the plate with the edges bent downwards. The two vertical edges, visible on the lower part of the plate, indicate the edges of the veil. The elongated and elegant face of the woman is finely worked, with well-shaped and nuanced surfaces: the almond-shaped eyes, the profile of the right and precise nose, the mouth slightly contracted in the typical expression of figures of the 6th century , Which is called the "archaic smile." Its rich ornament consisting of a flat diadem, which supports the veil, and circular earrings. Protopes of this type have had great success in the Greek world, in Attica but also in eastern Greece and in the western colonies, between the 6th and the beginning of the 5th century B.C. They were offered to female divinities (especially Hera and Aphrodite) in the sanctuaries, where they were suspended by a hole pierced above the head; Sometimes they come from necropolises.Read more
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Ancient Roman Blue Glass Tear Bottle
This exquisitely preserved Roman vessel dates from the 1st century AD. It was made in the glass blowing technique invented in the precedent century. The luminous dark blue color of the glass, achieved by the addition of cobalt to the silica mixture, has precedents in the Hellenistic glassware, but the elegant “tear drop” shape is distinctively Roman. Large numbers of vessels in this shape have been found in Roman tombs, leading early archaeologists to the romantic but erroneous conception that these bottles contained the tears of Roman mourners. In fact, they were used as part of the Roman toilette and contained the viscous liquids like unguents and perfumes.Read more
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Ancient Iberian Bronze Warrior
This small bronze figure is an example of a famous Iberian type: the warrior. He stands on a square base, his legs bent slightly at the knee. He has the typical attributes of an Iberian warrior: dressed in a short girded tunic, fastened by a wide belt, in his left hand, he holds a small circular shield with a central boss, in his right, a small dagger pointed downwards. It is probable that this free-standing bronze figure was made to be dedicated as a votive offerings at altars. The earliest examples of this type date from the 7th-6th century B.C.Read more
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Ancient Roman White Opaque Glass Bottle
This bottle, which is relatively small in size, shows a slight distortion of the shape: the neck falls a bit on the side of the handle, as if the shoulder had not perfectly resisted its weight during cooling. The container, characterized by a high, cylindrical neck, a ribbed ribbon-handle, a piriform or spheroidal body and a flat base, is one of the most common forms in the repertoire of Roman glass makers.Read more
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Ancient Egyptian Carnelian Pendant in the shape of a Cobra’s Head
This piece is carved from beautiful orange carnelian, pieced at one end by a small hole for suspension from a chain or cord. The pendant has been hewn into a triangular shape to represent a snake’s head, probably that of a cobra. The fine incisions indicating the orbital bones, eyes and the shape of the skull all add to this lifelike representation. The cobra’s head (uraeus) was a popular motif in Egyptian art, found in monumental architecture: the uraei (in faience and stone) and palmettes which often decorate the tops of walls, dating to as early as Old Kingdom architecture (the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara). In the miniature arts, cobra heads appear in the Middle Kingdom as an ornament to wooden objects (wooden boxes) and, much later (18th Dynasty) as a personal amulet, both for members of the royal family (they appear, for example, in the tombs of Tutmosis IV, Tutankhamun, and of their grandparents, Yuya and Tjuya) and for ordinary citizens. These amulets are most often carved from red semi-precious stones (carnelian and jasper), glass or turquoise faience; gold examples exist, but they are extremely rare. Their function was certainly symbolic and apotropaic, perhaps to protect both the living and the dead from snake bites, which were very common in ancient Egypt. The use of these snake head pendants continued after the New Kingdom, through the first millennium A.D. This example, remarkable for the beauty of the carnelian and the refinement of its execution, was probably made for wealthy clientele.Read more
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Ancient Etruscan Terracotta head of a young man
This head, whose dimensions are approximately half life-size, was part of the funerary statue of a young man. His neck is slightly stretched forward and his head a bit turned to the right; the asymmetric face (the right side is broader and more finely modeled than the left side) probably indicates that the young man would have been seen in three quarter view from the right. The beardless, youthful face is thin and oval, with a light, although firm modeling; the eyes are small, the mouth is horizontal, the chin is provided with a dimple. The parted lips and the lowered gaze give the figure a pathetic connotation, which is a distinctive feature of Etruscan funerary statues at that time. This is not an individual portrait, in the strict sense, as attested by the absence of specific personal characteristics; like it is often the case in Greek-Roman antiquity, the funerary statue is not represented with realistic features corresponding to the age of the deceased, but rather in an idealized, almost “Classical” manner. Stylistically, this head can certainly be attributed to a central Italian workshop; it perfectly reflects the average quality of the figures dated to the 2nd century B.C.Read more
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Ancient Mesopotamian hemispherical Cup
The shape of the vessel is simple. Despite its miniature size, the cup displays a sense of charm with its rather elegant harmonious proportions. The body, supported by a small circular base, is hemispherical and high. Two vertically pierced tenon-handles, which would have certainly served to attach the lid and allow the closing of the cup, are located on the outside, near the rim. Large triangles roughly painted in black punctuate the surface of the body; their outlines are slightly incised. Two other incised lines highlight the upper cup, near the edge. It was probably used to store an unguent or precious oil. This piece's profile coincidentally recalls that of the famous Protocorinthian skyphoi which appeared about a millennium later.Read more
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Ancient Hellenistic Greek Linear Cut Glass Bowl of Amber Color
The upright rim of the bowl has a rounded edge; the gently sloping sides curve inward at the middle toward a rounded bottom. Decorative shallow grooves are cut into the interior of the bowl beneath the rim and two bands of cut grooves decorate the base and side of the bowl.Read more
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Ancient Art
This category includes auctions with objects from ancient cultures, including Roman glass, Egyptian crafts and artifacts, Greek sculptures, and jewellery dating back centuries or millennia.
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