Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0098
A Cycladic Marble Kandila Vase
EARLY CYCLADIC I, CIRCA 3200-2800 B.C.
3 1/2 in. (400 grams, 89 mm high).
Carved from fine marble and raised on a tall, conical pedestal foot, supporting a hemispherical body; four prominent evenly spaced elongated vertical lugs, each pierced for suspension.
Provenance
with Münzen und Medaillen, Weil am Rhein, 1975, Katalog 51, no.9.
Private German collection.
Private collection, Europe.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12663-236275.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Literature
Cf. Thimme, Art and Culture of the Cyclades in the Third Millennium B.C., Chicago, 1977, pp.310-312.
Footnotes
The overall form is both functional and elegantly balanced, characteristic of Early Cycladic craftsmanship. The Cyclades, a group of thirty-nine islands and numerous islets in the southwestern Aegean, formed a cultural ring - kyklades in ancient Greek - around the sacred island of Delos, site of the revered sanctuary of Apollo. By the fourth millennium B.C., a distinctive civilisation had emerged on these islands, flourishing for over two thousand years. The Cycladic culture thrived due to its strategic maritime location and its rich deposits of iron and copper - vital commodities during a period of rapidly developing metallurgy throughout the Mediterranean. While existing alongside the more dominant Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, the Cycladic people are recognised as one of the three principal Aegean cultures. Vessels such as this, known as kandila, were typically crafted in marble or clay and are believed to have held liquids such as oil or wine. The pierced lugs may have supported suspension cords or secured a lid. Often found in tomb contexts alongside marble figurines, these vessels likely played a role in funerary rituals. Regardless of their original function, kandila vessels remain enduring examples of Cycladic artistry. Their minimalist design, elegant proportions, and subtle detailing reflect a culture that placed equal value on utility and aesthetic form.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0098
A Cycladic Marble Kandila Vase
Estimate £6,000 - 8,000€6,960 - 9,280 (for guidance only)$8,100 - 10,800 (for guidance only)
RELATED LOTS
-
Boeotian Black-Glazed Terracotta Kantharos
Circa 5th century B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
The high-handled drinking cup with carinated lower body and a tall offset foot with a collar. 310 grams, 19 cm wide
Ex Galleria Serodine, Arte Antichità, Fritz Huchelmann-Tieche, Ascona 13 November 1987. Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Etruscan Engraved Scarab in Gold Swivel Ring
Circa 3rd century B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
Carnelian scarab with flat underside, segmented border around a figure bent over his tools, set into a later swivel-mount with carinated hoop, wires wound round the shank at each shoulder. 10.23 grams, 35.18 mm overall, 17.75 x 23.05 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P 1/2, USA 7 3/4, Europe 16.86, Japan 16)
Acquired from a London dealer in the 1980s. From the collection of a London antiquarian, formed since the 1980s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12745-234210. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
A Cycladic Marble Kandila Vase
Early Cycladic I, circa 3200-2800 B.C.Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £3,333
Carved from fine marble and raised on a tall, conical pedestal foot, supporting a hemispherical body; four prominent evenly spaced elongated vertical lugs, each pierced for suspension. 400 grams, 89 mm high
with Münzen und Medaillen, Weil am Rhein, 1975, Katalog 51, no.9. Private German collection. Private collection, Europe. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12663-236275. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The overall form is both functional and elegantly balanced, characteristic of Early Cycladic craftsmanship. The Cyclades, a group of thirty-nine islands and numerous islets in the southwestern Aegean, formed a cultural ring - kyklades in ancient Greek - around the sacred island of Delos, site of the revered sanctuary of Apollo. By the fourth millennium B.C., a distinctive civilisation had emerged on these islands, flourishing for over two thousand years. The Cycladic culture thrived due to its strategic maritime location and its rich deposits of iron and copper - vital commodities during a period of rapidly developing metallurgy throughout the Mediterranean. While existing alongside the more dominant Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, the Cycladic people are recognised as one of the three principal Aegean cultures. Vessels such as this, known as kandila, were typically crafted in marble or clay and are believed to have held liquids such as oil or wine. The pierced lugs may have supported suspension cords or secured a lid. Often found in tomb contexts alongside marble figurines, these vessels likely played a role in funerary rituals. Regardless of their original function, kandila vessels remain enduring examples of Cycladic artistry. Their minimalist design, elegant proportions, and subtle detailing reflect a culture that placed equal value on utility and aesthetic form.
