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LOT 0521
Etruscan Relief Fragment with Papposilenus
CIRCA 5TH CENTURY B.C.
7 1/8 in. (1.53 kg, 18 cm).
Roughly bell-shaped in profile with scooped rear face and socket to base; rim to upper edge above facing image of a grotesque bearded male with arms angled and hands on his wrinkled abdomen. legs bent to each side, genitals resting on a stele; old collector's label 'L-16434' to top; Etruscan or Italic.
ProvenanceThe Erotica Collection Christian von Faber-Castell, Küsnacht ZH, Switzerland, since the late 1970s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
'Kunst und Handwerk der Antike', Auction 15, Basel, 2 December 1983, no.197.
FootnotesChristian von Faber-Castell (born 1950) is a renowned German entrepreneur and art collector, best known as a member of the prominent Faber-Castell family, famed for their iconic writing instruments. A passionate advocate for art and culture, Christian von Faber-Castell curated an extensive and diverse private collection of erotica, spanning centuries and cultures. His collection reflects a deep appreciation for the interplay of beauty, sensuality, and artistic expression, bringing together rare and unique works that explore themes of intimacy and human connection. Pieces from this collection have been featured in notable exhibitions and are celebrated for their artistic and historical significance. This offering represents a rare opportunity to acquire works from one of the most fascinating and eclectic private collections of its kind.
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LOT 0521
Etruscan Relief Fragment with Papposilenus
Sold for (Inc. bp): £624
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Cypriot Terracotta Mask with Helmet
6th-5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
Modelled in the half-round with stylised facial features and wearing a large helmet; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 94 grams total, 50 mm (66 mm including stand)
with Hotel Drouot, Succession of Former collection Colonel W. Mutiaux, Paris, 5 September 1952, lot 66. Ex collection of Eugène Muriaux (1846-1925?). From the collection M.W., Paris, France, 1950-1970. Ex collection of Françoise and Claude Bourelier. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
The man's helmet is typically Phoenician-Cypriot. Therefore, it is possible to consider this terracotta as the portrait of a Cypriot warrior, with Greek and Phoenician elements. The artefact is part of ex-voto productions with Greek-Phoenician characteristics widespread throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. -
Archaic Greek Terracotta Seated Goddess
5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Depicting the goddess seated on a high-backed throne and wearing a long dress, her hands resting on the lap. 412 grams, 18.2 cm
Acquired in Europe before 1996. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
The typical 5th century B.C. terracotta female figurine was a standing or seated woman wearing a chiton and a himation. It usually represented the goddess Demeter, and it was a votive figure offered to the shrines or temples. Attica was one of the principal centres of figurine production, but Corinth continued to produce solid standing or seated females with moulded fronts and flat backs. -
Etruscan Bronze Harpy Finial
5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
In the form of a harpy, comprising a facing female mask with lobed headdress on a tapering neck, crescentic lateral wings and tails with feather detailing, central column with claw foot; beneath, a scrolled panel developing to a four-toed claw; hollow to reverse of mask and claw, fixing stud and mounting ledge to reverse. 55 grams, 96 mm
Acquired in Germany, before 2000. English private collection. with Bertolami Fine Arts Ltd, Auction 88, no.162. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.