Greek Black-Glazed Terracotta Askos

Formed as an advancing lion, hatching to hips and shoulders; mounted on a custom-made stand. 29.63 grams total, 22 mm wide (62 mm high including stand)



From the Robin Symes Mayfair gallery before 1999, and part of a collection exhibited at the gallery. Ex London, UK, collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cylindrical with stepped foot, five palmettes above the shoulder, dynamic frieze of two men visiting two hetairai, each of the figures dressed in long pleated garments, at the centre of the scene, a hetaira on the right reaching towards the bearded male and gently touching his chin with her open hand, a tall draped table behind her with an amphora underneath and a standing bird on the top. 459 grams, 26.4 cm



H.A.C. (Herbert A. Cahn), 19 October 1979. Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.N125q45 by Oxford Authentication. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12644-236376.

The Athena Painter is known as the painter who designed several Greek black-figure pottery works using the 5th-century BC white-ground technique. He specialized in lekythoi and refers to Athena as his main subject in his works. Together with the Theseus Painter, they continued the tradition of painting large lekythoi. His black figures are of high quality, and in addition to lekythoi, he decorated other potteries such as oenochoai. Some archaeologists say that he may have been the same person as the Bowdoin Painter of red-figure pottery, although they may have just worked in the same workshop.

Broad face with incised rings outlining the painted border of running vinescroll in red and white; with a shallow central socket outlined in red, broad carinated rim and low foot. 834 grams, 26.5 cm



Acquired at Auction, London, UK, 1990s, no.233. Private collection, Suffolk, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant catalogue page.

'Teano ware' is a type of ceramic produced in the late 4th century to the early 3rd century BC. Its modern name derives from Teanum Sidicinum, in northern Campania, the main centre of production. White and red pigment was used for the painted decoration on the black surface. It was probably used for votive or funerary purposes.⁣