Greek Glass Cameo with Dolphin

Crescentic frontal panel from a necklace or collar; sheet gold band with slight carination, lightly incised leaf and berry detailing; applied filigree band to each end with double-loop attachment points; three applied foil rosettes; eleven banded agate dangles to the lower edge with sheet gold suspension; a marriage of ancient parts. 33.84 grams, 15.2 cm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. 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 a search certificate number no.12591-232174. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Rosettes were one of the most desired decorations on jewellery. Diadems with rosettes are attested from the archaic period onwards. One of the rosette types was the so-called flower-head from Madytos, which most closely resembled the common wild or dog rose. The rose was, of course, much prized in ancient times for its wonderful scent and as the favoured flower of Aphrodite, the goddess of love: the lyric poet Anakreon called it ‘the perfume of gods, the joy of men’.

A delicately crafted pendant depicting a seated Eros with spread wings, holding a small turtle with his left hand and his right hand raised, feather detailing to wings and carefully modelled face with a smiling expression; a double suspension loop underneath and a single loop above; likely from an earring. 1.41 grams, 13 mm



Solothurn exhibition catalogue 1967, no.421. Notable Swiss private scholarly collection. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12671-236392. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Hollow-formed with broad chamfered base, body modelled as the head of a woman supporting the neck in the form of a trefoil oinochoe with a high, curving handle to the rear; moulded head with detailed swept hair hair wrapped in a cloth (sakkos), and stern facial features; circumferential painted band beneath the rim and vertical strokes; supplied with a custom-made stand. 1.34 kg total, 31 cm high excluding stand



Acquired from Galerie Simone de Monbrison, Rue Bonaparte, Paris, France, 1980. Accompanied by a thermoluminescence analysis report no.N125e36 from Oxford Authentication. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.150924, dated 19 December 2013. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12666-234641. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.