Enamelled Iron Articulated 'Hangman' Skeleton

Formed as a cupboard with hinged door, decorative openwork backplate and an applied large question mark to the door; inside the cupboard a white enamelled skeleton with articulated fold-out legs and articulated jaw operated by lever from the rear. 5.39 grams, 40 mm (legs extended)



Property of a County Durham collector; acquired on the UK art market. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Comprising: a wooden cross with carved scenes from the life of Christ (Nativity and others to one face, Crucifixion and others to the other face) housed in a filigree frame with beaded wire borders to the circular openings; three large amethyst beads to the arms, smaller coral and glass beads to each face; cannetille balustered stem and domed base. 140 grams, 21.8 cm



Ex Iconastas, London, SW1, UK, in 2004. Ex Mayfair Gallery Limited, London W1, UK, in 2005. Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. Accompanied by a copy of the Mayfair Gallery invoice dated 10 January 2005. Accompanied by a copy of the Iconastas invoice dated 18 February 2004. 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 search certificate no.12488-229957. 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.

Depicting Christ dressed in a long purple tunica talaris embroidered with long central vertical gold clavi (stripes) and appliques on the cuffs and around the neck; the dress fastened at the waist by a rope; crowned with thorns and holding an olive branch in his hand; Greek inscription 'Ο ΕΛΚOΜΕΝΟΣ' (= the One who came [in the Name of God]), on the background, and three letters inside the nimbus representing the continuous divine self-existence of Christ as God ('O ѾN' = The Only One who always exists); tempera on wood. 303 grams, 19 x 15 cm



Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Christ, bound and crowned with thorns, is here represented before his Crucifixion. The icon is intended to depict the humility of Christ, ready to be raised on the cross, bringing peace to the humanity (olive branch). The purple robe represents the royalty of Christ, who nevertheless, despite being King of the Universe, humbles himself for the salvation of mankind.