Georgian and Other Copper-Alloy Artefact Group

Hollow-formed copy of the Mars of Todi, a figure of an Etruscan warrior wearing segmented armour to the chest and shoulders, crested helmet, short tunic; the hands in animated pose with left hand open to accept a weapon; holes beneath feet for mounting. 7.6 kg, 61.5 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. with Galerie Athena, Brussels, 9 May 2019, lot 393. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11691-199344.

The "Mars of Todi" figure is a large, almost life-sized bronze statue of a warrior in armour. It dates from the late 5th - early 4th century B.C., and is believed to have been produced by an Etruscan workman for an Umbrian patron. The figure was probably a votive offering for a religious sanctuary, perhaps sacred to Laran, the Etruscan god of war. It had been buried ritually and left undisturbed until its modern discovery in 1835. It lacks a helmet, and the hands are empty; possibly a patera plate was originally in the open right hand, and a spear gripped in the clenched left hand. The sculptor of the figure followed the Greek contrapposto posture accentuating the carefully modelled lamellar plate armour. The statue bears a short inscription in Umbrian "Ahal Trutitis dunum dede" (Ahal Trutitis gave this gift).

Featuring openwork shoulders and rectangular bezel set with a platinum-mounted diamond against a black background; stamped '18 ct & pt' to reverse. 3.35 grams, 19.05 mm overall, 14.94 mm internal diameter (approximate size British F, USA 2 3/4, Europe 3.67, Japan 3)



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

The trio composed of different styles of finger ring, the bezels set with glass inlays, including two facetted. 9.3 grams total, 15-25 mm



Acquired on the London art market, 1980s-1990s.