ASTA 267 - GLITTICA

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB. TWO WARRIORS.

4th - 3rd century B.C.

10,5x15x7 mm

Two kneeling warriors with shields facing left. Engraved linear frame. Wear marks. Small chips on the edge.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB. LION WITH CRESCENT MOON.

3rd century B.C.

9x14x6,5 mm

The animal is facing right, with open mouth and tongue out, in a pose reminiscent of the Chimera. Moon crescent above. Globular elements. Hatched frame. Wear marks.

P. Zazoff, Die Etruskische Sskarabaen, tafel 49 n. 260 (probably same workshop).

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB. WARRIOR.

3rd century B.C.

8x11x5 mm

The warrior is facing right, holding a shield. Globular elements. Hatched frame. Light wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB. GOOSE.

3rd century B.C.

8x11x6 mm

The bird stands upright, with its neck stretched forward. Engraved linear frame. Slight wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB. HORSE.

3rd - 2nd century B.C.

9x11x6 mm

The mighty animal is facing right. On the back, an object to be identified, probably a weapon or an idol. Globular style. The back engraved in a stylized manner. Slight wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

AN ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB SET IN A GOLD STICK PIN. HERCULES FIGHTING THE NEMEAN LION.

4th - 3rd century B.C.

Stone 12x16x8 mm; H max 86 mm; 4,10 gr.

The scarab is pierced and finely detailed. It is characterized by the influence of the Italic style,close to the so called “Etruscan Italic style”. The stone is set in a gold archelogical revival style stick pin. Slight wear marks.

References: Gothenburg, City Museum 21934-8 (unpublished); Hannover, AGD IV no. 45; Getty Mus. 81.AN.76.172 (Boardman 1975 no. 172); Getty Mus. 81.AN.76.171 (Boardman 1975 no. 171); Naples 27086/1241 (Pannuti 1994 no. 25); Taranto 40.178 (Alessio 1984 no. 257); Rome, Pal. Massimo 107978 (Facchini 1973 no. 2); Paris BnF 1762; Rome, Villa Giulia; Florence, Mus. Arch (reference: Nancy de Grummond's article in Rasenna 2010). mm 22 x 12 x 9; gr. 4,09

Provenance: U.K. private collection

A GRAND TOUR CARNELIAN ENGRAVED SCARAB SET IN A GOLD STICK PIN. WARRIOR.

19th century

Stone 15x19x11 mm; H max 92 mm; 7,00 gr

The warrior faces left. With his right arm he holds the shield, with the left hand the sword with scabbard. The figure is leaning forward. Hatched border. The scarab is mounted in an elegant archaeological revival style gold stick pin.

Provenance: U.K private collection

A GREEK HELLENISTIC SILVER RING. SILENUS.

4th century B.C.

Bezel 10x19 mm; int, size 16x18 mm; 4,34 gr

With rounded hoop, flatten within, and expanding onto an almond-shaped bezel with engraved design. A bold man facing left, the upper body uncovered and the lower body covered of hair. In his hands he holds the flute. Possibly a representation of a Silenus. Wear marks.

Provenance: U.K. private collection

A RARE LATE CLASSICAL GREEK GOLD RING WITH THE ENGRAVED BEZEL. ATHENA SEATED IN FRONT OF A THYMATERION.

4th century B.C.

Bezel diam. 20 mm; int. Size 15x17,5 mm; 7,24 gr

Hoop flat within, rounded without; large rounded bezel with engraved design; the helmeted goddess is seated on a chair facing left. She wears a long chiton and himation, her right hand near a face, meanwhile her left arm is strechted toward a thymiaterion with incense burning. Wear marks.

For similar iconography and typology see: J. Boardman,D. Scarisbrick, the Ralph Harari collection of Finger Ringers, n° 11

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

A LATE GREEK HELLENISTIC GOLD RING WITH A GARNET INTAGLIO. THUNDERBOLT.

3rd - 2nd century B.C.

Stone 10x14 mm; int. size 13x18 mm; 7,13 gr

With rounded hoop expanding upwards on the shoulders and surmounting a large oval bezel with thick edges, containg a high raised garnet intaglio; thunderbolt. Crack on the stone and wear marks. Good overall conservation.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

A FINE GREEK PTOLEMAIC GARNET INTAGLIO SET IN A LATER GOLD RING. BUST OF ISIS.

Stone 3rd - 2nd century B.C. Ring 3rd century A.D.

Stone 7x9,5 mm; int. diam. 18 mm; 9,13 gr

With a flatten hoop within and rounded without, the shoulders project strongly in angular shaped, decreasing upwards onto an oval box-setting with gold globules on the frame and containing a ptolemaic garnet intaglio; head of Isis facing left characterized by calamistrate hair adorned with a band. The face features are young, with a large almond eye, straight nose and small semi-opened mouth. Wear marks. Beautiful conservation.

D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems, pl. 11 n. 64,65, 66. M-L Vollenweider, Camees et intailles, Les portraits grecs du Cabinet des Medailles, Tome I, p. 55 n. 91-92.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

A RARE GREEK GOLD RING. LATE PTOLEMAIC FEMALE BUST PORTRAIT.

3rd - 2nd century B.C.

Bezel 15x20 mm; int. Size 16x18 mm; 5,72 gr.

Of hollow gold, inside rounded hoop, flatten outside, expanding at the shoulders to the flat oval bezel; engraved with a profile portrait of a bust of a woman facing left, wearng a chiton. Her hair arranged in a chignon at the top of the head. She wears earrings and necklace. The face is charcaterized by the typical late ptolemaic profile; with straight nose, large almond-shaped eye, slighlty open mouth and small chin. The gold surface presents micro-scratches as tools traces and wear marks. The subject can be identified as a high private portrait, probably a princess with idealized features.

For a very similar ring: J. Boardman, C. Wagner, Masteroieces in Miniature. Engraved gems from Prehistory to the present, p. 265 n. 249. 'Said to be from Egypt. Bust of a woman. Her hair dressed in a lock from the front to the topknot, long over the shoulders, wearing pointed earrings and a floreal necklet. The hairstyle is seen on Republican Roman coins of around 100 BC for Victoria or Diana. Probably intended for a goddess. Hellenistic. 3rd/2nd BC. ".

Provenance: Formerly Pr. Timmers collection, 1948-1977; U.K. private collection acquired on the art market in the early 2000s.

AN ITALIC CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A MODERN GOLD RING. DOUBLE CORNUCOPIA.

2nd - 1st century B.C.

Stone 10x13 mm; int. size 17x18 mm; 10,47 gr

Emblema of the Prosperity and Abundance with two cornucopias side by side with overlapping endings, auspicious symbol of union. Globular elements. Wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the art market in the early 2000s

A GREEK LATE HELLENISTIC GARNET INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD RING. ATHENA.

2nd-1st century B.C.

Stone 11x15 mm; int.diam 16 mm; 10,71 gr

With rounded hoop, expanding in broader rounded shoulders and set with a fine cabochon garnet intaglio depicting the helmeted goddess advancing in three-quarters. She wears the chiton and himation, the spear in her left rised hand and the shield in the right one. Groundline. Beautiful colour of the stone, wear marks.

For the type see D. Plantzos, Hellenistic engraved gems, plate 64 (The Neo-Attic Tradition)

Provenance: U.K. private, acquired on the art market 1980s-1990s

A GREEK HELLENISTIC GARNET INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD NECKLACE ELEMENT. PORTRAIT OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

2nd century B.C.

Stone 11x12 mm; 2.58 gr

The gold ornament is round and adorned with two series of gold spherical beads divided in platted gold. Presence of a suspension hoop, (missing the other one). In the center, a large circular, slightly cabochon garnet intaglio figuring the portrait of Alexander the Great facing left. He is characterized by the typical presence of the Amon's horns and the the long hair. The presence of some globular elements for the anatomical details is referable to a Greek workshop.Wear marks.

Provenance: U.K. private, acquired on the art market 1980s-1990s

A LARGE GREEK LATE HELLENISTIC CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A GOLD PENDANT WITH DIAMONDS. STANDING FEMALE FIGURE.

2nd century B.C.

Stone 16x30 mm; Brooch 27x49 mm; 11,45 gr

This large intaglio is part of the late Hellenistic Greek production characterized by this typical stylization with linear engraved details and elongated figures (Plantzos classified it in the "Class of Late Hellenistic Intaglios" close to the "Gems for the Masses" with gods and humans subjects). The figure is standing, facing left, dressed in chiton and himation, in the act of holding a scepter in the left hand. The gem, with an elongated and convex oval shape, is set in a gold pendant with five diamonds. Slight wear marks.

D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems, n. 309 to 320.

Provenance: U.K collection acquired on the art market

A LARGE GREEK LATE HELLENISTIC CARNELIAN INTAGLIO. STANDING FEMALE FIGURE.

2nd century B.C.

20x33x6 mm

This large intaglio is part of the late Hellenistic Greek production characterized by this typical stylization with linear engraved details and elongated figures (Plantzos classified it in the "Class of Late Hellenistic Intaglios" close to the "Gems for the Masses" with gods and humans subjects). The figure is standing, facing left, dressed in chiton and hymation, in the act of holding a sword in its scabbard with the right hand, and leaning the elbow of the left arm against a small column for support, holding a spear (or a long sceptre). Probably a Venus. The gem is characterized by an elongated and convex oval shape. Slight wear marks.

D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems, n. 309 to 320.

Provenance: The Gustave Mustaki collection, exported from Egypt under licence c.1950 and gifted to Elsa MacLellan, his daughter, thence by descent.

A GREEK HELLENISTIC GARNET INTAGLIO. STANDING FEMALE FIGURE.

3rd - 2nd century B.C.

13x22x3,5 mm

This elongated gem is very close to the socalled group known as "gems for the Masses". The female figure is standing, dressed in a tunic, and holding a scepter (or thyrsus?) in her right hand. Presence of globular elements. Groundline. Small chips on the edge. Wear marks.

D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems, n. 277-297.

Provenance: Formerly in the D.C. collection, London ; acquired by an international french collector from the above in the early 2000s.

A GREEK LATE HELLENISTIC GARNET INTAGLIO. FRONTAL FACE OF ZEUS AMMON.

2nd century B.C.

13,5x15x6 mm

Interesting example of late Hellenistic Greek portrait with a deeply carved, almost frontal head of Zeus Ammon (ram's horns) on the typical slightly convex garnet ( concave in the backside). Small missing on the edge and wear marks.

D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems, n. 191 (from Oxford, Ashmolean Museum 1892.1508).

Provenance: Formerly in the D.C. collection, London; acquired by an international french collector from the above in the early 2000s.

A BURNT AND CALCIFIED ROMAN CARNELIAN INTAGLIO SET IN A SILVER FRAME. MASK OF A SILENUS.

1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.

12x14,5x4 mm

Almost frontal mask of Silenus, characterized by a long beard and a crown of grape leaves. Powerful and expressive portrait, deeply engraved. The stone is partially burnt and calcified. Wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the London art market 1990s-early 2000s

A BURNT AND CALCIFIED ROMAN CARNELIAN INTAGLIO. HEAD OF SOCRATES.

1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.

Diam. 17x2 mm

Profile portrait of a philosopher, almost certainly Socrates. Beard and hair details are engraved with fine lines.The stone is partially burnt and calcified. Wear marks.

Provenance: From a private collection, France, acquired on the London art market 1990s-early 2000s

A LATE HELLENISTIC GARNET FRAGMENTARY INTAGLIO. MALE PROFILE

2nd century B.C.

14x18x3 mm

This beautiful fragment shows the face of a Greek hero or god, characterized by a straight nose, beautiful plain lips and almond-shaped eye with heavy eyelid. Cracks and wear marks.

Provenance: This lot is sold under temporary import status.

A LATE HELLENISTIC GARNET INTAGLIO. BUST OF ATHENA.

2nd-1st century B.C.

9x12x5 mm

The helmeted goddess is facing left. The surface of the stone is highly convex. Wear marks.

Provenance: U.K. private collection

A GREEK LATE HELLENISTIC CARNELIAN INTAGLIO. HEAD OF A GODDESS.

2nd-1st century B.C.

11x13x3 mm

The laureated goddess is facing left. Presence of globular elements. Scratches and wear marks.

Provenance: U.K. private collection