Loading, please wait...
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.
Provenancewith 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.
Cf. Thimme, Art and Culture of the Cyclades in the Third Millennium B.C., Chicago, 1977, pp.310-312.
FootnotesThe 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.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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)
-
Archaic Marble Oil Lamp
Eastern Greek, 6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
Circular with an open oil-chamber divided into three compartments with a central omphalos, three semi-circular nozzles projecting from each compartment bridging over the wick rests; flat base with a central hole for support. 2.61 kg, 22 cm
Ex HAC, Basel, Switzerland, 1990s. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Greek Silver Ring with Portrait of Apollo
5th-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Comprising a slender square-section hoop and discoid bezel with low-relief image of diademed bust within pelletted border. 0.96 grams, 17.84 mm overall, 14.34 mm internal diameter (approximate size British G, USA 3 1/4, Europe 4.92, Japan 4)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Cypriot Cylinder Seal of White Stone with Standing Figure
Circa 1500-1300 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £780
Cylinder with cord and bead handles; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of White Stone (surface blackened in places) 30.5 x 21 mm. The main scene consists of a standing figure with a big shock of hair, wearing a long skirt from the waist down, marked by horizontal lines, holding up snakes in each hand. On each side of this figure is a horned animal, bovine on the left, of uncertain species on the right, each in lively pose, the one on the right sideways. There is one filler in the main scene, the head of a horned animal. The secondary scene consists of five items: a star, a bull's head shown from the front, a tree, a rosette and the head of an unidentified horned animal. This is a seal in a local Cypriot style, from Cyprus, and dating to c.1500-1300 B.C. It is an important specimen of good quality, though knowledge of ancient Cypriot mythology does not yet allow us to identify the figure holding the snakes.'; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 26.3 grams, 30 mm
UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in February 1992. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
