Cypriot Terracotta Votive Horn

With an arching strap handle and a wide spout; either side of the body painted with a crouching panther, one playing with a ball and the other depicted facing; repaired. 149 grams, 12 cm

Fine condition, some surface rubbing on the black glaze, with metallic gloss, some calcareous deposits on underside of lip and vase, glaze slightly chipped in a few places, repaired.

Acquired from Gallery Gryphos, Munich, 1992. European private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12001-211879.

Painted askoi in different forms have been produced and been in use in Athens since the middle and second quarter of the 5th century B.C., but they were also made in southern Italy. The askoi painted with a pair of animal figures were realised in Magna Graecia after the Attic continental production of similar models, with the representation of griffins, sphinxes and laconic hounds. The function of the askos as a vessel was clearly linked to wine, and therefore it is not anomalous to see it decorated with panther motifs, an animal connected with Dionysus, the god of wine and drinking.

Each with burnished surface, globular body with conical underside, tall spout with open rear face, loop handle; one with lateral lugs to the spout forming 'eyes'. 780 grams total, 19.5-27 cm



with Christie's, London, 11 December 1974. Formerly from the collection of Lord Dayton of Corran, formed between 1960-2000. Acquired from Bonham's, New Bond Street, 27 April 2006, lot 313 (part). The smaller vessel is from a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages.

The plain red polished ware was dominant in Cyprus in the early Bronze Age. It included jugs with nipple base, cutaway sprout, and paired, blunt projections near handle attachment points.

Group of three hemispherical bowls with burnished surface, one with old collector's inked notation '1.5 / 28'. 708 grams total, 9.7-16.5 cm



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.