Greek Bronze Bird

High-handled cup with flared body and a tall offset foot with a collar, coiled lateral handles; profile 'ladies of fashion' busts with white and cream detailing to the hair, diadem and earrings. 415 grams, 18.6 cm



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.

Obv: head of Athena with profile eye to right, wearing disc earring, pearl necklace and a crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves and a pi-style palmette. Rev: ΑΘΕ, owl standing to right, head facing the viewer, olive sprig with berry and crescent moon in upper left field, all within incuse square. Kroll 8; Dewing 1591-8; SNG Copenhagen 31; HGC 4, 1597; the coin enclosed inside a modern gold medallion pendant stamped '750' with double border. 24.36 grams, 37 mm



Roma Numismatics, E-LIVE Auction 4, 29 November 2018, no.155. Private collection of Mr K.A., France. with Kallos Gallery, London. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 13024-246751.

The Athenian components of several of the hoards in which these tetradrachms were found, together with other published and unpublished tetradrachms, make it clear that this coinage of c.400/390 to 353 was not only substantial, but was one of the most prolific Greek coinages of the period.

Comprising a shallow bowl and broad flange rim, two integral scalloped handles with lateral scrolled flourishes, each tapering to a S-curved handle with swan-head terminals with incised eye and beak detailing; perforated whirl within roundel to interior base; accompanied by a custom-made display stand with mirror. 402 grams total, 19.7 cm including stand



with Hôtel des ventes de Belfort Sarl, October 2011, no.16. Acquired by the present owner at the above sale. 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 number no.12209-222140.

Elaborate gilded strainers, such as this present example, were used at symposia and festive occasions for the purpose of preventing the dregs of wine from entering the wine cup. This and other related silver utensils became popular in the late 4th and 3rd century B.C. These highly decorated wine strainers were fitted with dual handles forming loops in the shape of twisting animals, here a swan. Usually, they took the form of a shallow dish complete with four rings of perforations in the centre in order to drain the wine. Strainers of this type were used to separate out sediments found in the thick Greek wine. Examples similar to this one have been found in royal tombs in northern Greece, as well as the tomb of a monarch in Sudan.