Loading, please wait...
LOT 1449
Byzantine Style Bronze Reliquary Cross Pendant
20TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 in. (126 grams, 10.5 cm).
Hinged suspension loop, two recessed halves hollow to the reverse, low-relief figure in orans pose to the obverse, geometric ornament to the reverse. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-1990s.
From the private collection of H.N., Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, UK.
See Pitarakis, B., Les Croix-Reliquaires Pectorales Byzantines en Bronze, Paris, 2006, for original examples from the Eastern empire.
FootnotesUsually the reliquary crosses or enkolpia, were composed of two separate halves, inside of which a relic of a saint was contained; this could have been a piece of cloth or a bone. The practice, in the Orthodox Church, is still in place today, sometimes by using reproductions of ancient styles, like our specimen, probably realised at the beginning of the last century.
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 1449
Byzantine Style Bronze Reliquary Cross Pendant
Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
-
Large Bronze Roman Romulus and Remus Plaque
Late 19th-early 20th century A.D.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £750
Modelled in the half-round and hollow to the reverse; the lupa she-wolf standing with head turned, infant twins suckling beneath on a chamfered base. 14.9 kg, 72 cm wide
Ex Weser auction, Germany. Ex French gallery, Paris.
The plaque is modelled on the famous Lupa Capitolina "the Capitoline Wolf", believed to be an Etruscan-inspired bronze of the 5th century B.C. with modifications in the 15th century AD by Antonio del Pollaiuolo. The twin boys are Romulus and Remus, abandoned by their mother and kept alive by the wolf. They went on to be founders of Rome; Romulus killed Remus in a dispute over the most appropriate hill (Palatine or Aventine) on which to base the city's layout. -
Tudor Period Bronze Signet Ring with Flower
Circa 16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
With D-section hoop, keeled shoulders supporting an ellipsoid bezel with a flower motif. 5.79 grams, 23.77 mm overall, 20.54 mm internal diameter (approximate size British V, USA 10 1/2, Europe 23.77, Japan 22)
Private collection formed since the 1940s. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman. -
Turquoise Glass Bead Necklace Collection
20th century A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £39
Composed of multiple strands of coin-shaped glass bead necklaces, interspersed with spacer beads; some examples with iridescent surfaces; cut from ancient Roman glass. 141 grams total, 64-72 cm long
UK gallery, early 2000s.
