Loading, please wait...
_900x900.jpg "Etruscan Agate Talismanic Scarab")
_200x200.jpg "Etruscan Agate Talismanic Scarab")
.jpg "Etruscan Agate Talismanic Scarab")
LOT 0079
Etruscan Agate Talismanic Scarab
LATE 4TH-EARLY 3RD CENTURY B.C.
3/4 in. (3.53 grams, 18 mm).
Carved from banded orange agate and formed as a flattened scarab with a striated carapace, pierced for suspension.
ProvenanceUK private collection, acquired on the English market in the 2000s.
LiteratureCf. similar Etrusco-Roman scarabs in Van den Bercken, B.J.L., Baan, V.C.P., Engraved Gems from Antiquity to Present, Leiden, 2017, pp.155-162, figs.1-11.
FootnotesThe shape of an Etruscan scarab includes: (1) the scarab gem, where the engraving of the curved back of the stone more or less faithfully imitates the anatomical parts of the scarab beetle; (2) the scaraboid, which retains the overall shape of the scarab gem but with little or no engraving on the curved backside; and (3) the pseudo-scarab, which has an image carved in relief on its curved backside instead of a beetle. All three types have a flat, oval underside which carries an engraved miniature image (device) within a decorated border which is usually hatched.
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 0079
Etruscan Agate Talismanic Scarab
Estimate £500 - 700€580 - 810 (for guidance only)$680 - 950 (for guidance only)
-
Parthian Terracotta Horse and Warrior Rider
2nd century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Formed as a horse with a tall neck and splayed legs, a bearded rider figure to the rear; a marriage. 95 grams, 10.7 cm
From the collection of a Cambridge, UK, gentleman, by direct descent from his father, who acquired the items in London in circa 1960. -
Eastern Greek Variegated Agate Gemstone with Lion
6th-4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Scaraboid type with incuse design to the underside of a lion advancing beneath a star inside a ropework border; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 2.53 grams, 15 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Greek Red-Figure Bell Krater Belonging to the Chevron Group
Apulia, 4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,120
With reserved herringbone band beneath the rim, wave pattern to be the baseline; Side A: young man with thyrsus and pendant streamer holding a phiale, a loose mantle draped from the elbows; Side B: head of a lady of fashion with white accents to her stephane and hair drawn up in a chignon, a volute and window before her. 1.11 kg, 23.2 cm wide
Acquired on the art market between the late 1990s and mid-2000s. Estate of the late Barry Paul Buxton (1944-2024), Oakham, Rutland. Acquired on the UK art market, 2025. 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.13071-249285.
Bell kraters were commonly used in regions of ancient Italy for mixing and serving wine during communal gatherings, thanks to their wide shape and flared mouth. These vessels also served as artistic expressions, reflecting the cultural tastes of the time. The Chevron Group is the conventional name for a group of ancient Apulian red-figure vase painters who were active in Southern Italy between approximately 335-310 B.C. They are named for their distinctive use of a band of chevron patterns to encircle the rims of the small kraters (mixing vessels) they decorated.
