Greek Gold Dolphin Pendant

A red-figure terracotta bell-krater displaying polychrome figural panels between a laurel wreath and a band of Greek key motifs; side a) two robed male figures holding staffs, wearing a taenia or a band around the head, standing facing a central altar; side b) a woman wearing a chiton and holding a casket and olive sprig in her outstretched hands, advancing right towards a nude man standing right, his head turned towards her, holding a bucket and olive sprig, a cloak draped over his arm, elaborate volute palmettes beneath both handles; restored. 4 kg, 41 cm wide



Private collection, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Ex collection H.& P. Payot, Clarens, by descent. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.QED2237/SG-0201 from QED Laboratoire. 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.11580-199029.

Wide-mouthed bell kraters like this one were specifically designed for holding large quantities of liquid and to work as mixing bowls, as it was considered barbaric for wine to be drunk neat (a privilege only enjoyed by Dionysus and his entourage who could handle such a level of intoxication). Wine would be mixed with water, usually one part to three, or even more, as described by Homer regarding the wine offered to the giant Polyphemus (Odyssey, IX, 206-211). As such, kraters provided an ideal large surface area for decoration, and as wine was of utmost importance at the symposium, kraters would usually take centre place, and the decoration of such vessels were geared towards such gatherings attempting to provide subject matter for philosophical debate, like the ones described in Athenaeus’ Deipnosophistae.

A bucchero sottile kotyle, a deep drinking vessel of early type, decorated with a rouletted fan pattern above, incised triangles radiating from the base, with panels of geometric line decoration to the centre; skyphos-like handles to either side; some restoration. 213 grams, 10.5 cm high



American collector before 2000. Property of a Spanish gentleman. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. Accompanied by a copy of a Spanish cultural export licence.

This vessel was likely to have been made in a workshop in Cerveteri, belonging to the category of the so-called bucchero sottile, (thin bucchero, 675-625 B.C.) although some were produced at Tarquinia, and many distributed as far as Carthage and beyond. Decoration of this kind of kotyles (Rasmussen type c) are composed of simple groups of horizontal and vertical lines. Closed fans, whether horizontal or vertical, may be included at handle-level, below the usual pair of lines below the rim.

A hollow-formed ceramic head of a female with neatly dressed hair confined by a cap or fillet; traces of pigment to the eyes. 1.1 kg, 27 cm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11607-198986.