Greek Bronze Bird Pendant

Comprising: a broad shallow bowl with two loop handles curving up towards the rim, short stem and broad foot with chamfered outer edge; the bowl with reserved central disc to inner face, palmette motifs at the junctions of the handles, frieze depicting two standing nude males flanking a crouching sphinx in profile; restored and with old dealer's labels beneath base. 414 grams, 27.3 cm wide



Ex Prof. F.S., Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, 1991. with Gallery Drees Archeo S.P.R.L., Brussels. Acquired from the above, 16 December 2017. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00041086. Accompanied by a Gallery Drees Archeo certificate of authenticity. Accompanied by a thermoluminescence report no.0102 0910 from Laboratory Ralf Kotalla, 6 September 2010. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12945-246388.

The present piece is a wide-bowled drinking cup known as a kylix - one of the most popular forms of pottery from the Achaean times (1600-1100 B.C.) through to the classical period (c.510-323 B.C.). It dates to an important moment in the development of Greek ceramics, just as the black-figure technique was being perfected by Athenian painters. Painted in black slip with details incised on top, kylikes usually had a frieze around the outside of the bowl as well as another scene on the tondo of the inside. The scene here represented can be linked with the well-known episode of Oedipus and the Sphinx.

Carved in the round male figure in a seated pose wearing a loosely draped pallium on the shoulders and lower body, legs crossed at the knees; openwork frame to the chair with deep undercuts; mounted on a custom-made stand. 563 grams total, 86 mm high including stand



Formerly in a private collection, London. European private collection, acquired in 2002. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, 8 June 2004. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13210-249309.

The statuette could represent Zeus or Chronos, based on similarities with two statues in the Vatican Museums and two statues in the Thebes Museum. The god is depicted seated, with his torso exposed, and his left hand, which normally holds the sceptre in statues of seated Zeus, is instead stretched out across his legs.

Formed as a crouching stag with its legs tucked underneath the body, head turned back and resting against the body, scrolled horns. 23.6 grams, 40.8 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.