Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0073
Greek Gold 'Golden Fleece' Ram-Horn Pair
5TH-3RD CENTURY B.C.
4 in. (60.61 grams total, 10.5 cm each).
A matched pair of sheet-gold model ram's horns, each curved with a narrow end flattened, ribbed body, flared rim to the mouth with applied granule detailing; probably from a representation of the χρυσόμαλλον δέρας or 'golden fleece' from the legend of Jason and his adventures with the crew of the ship Argo.
Provenance
From a private collection of seals and amulets, the property of a Canadian gentleman living in London; from his father's collection formed in the late 1960s to 1980s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13105-249639.
Footnotes
The legend of the Golden Fleece is referenced by several ancient writers, including Pindar, whose reformulation forms the basis of most modern retellings, but an earlier version was evidently familiar to Homer in the 8th century B.C. It appears as a pictorial theme on early Greek vases. The story refers to a celestial winged ram with golden wool, which was believed to live and be worshipped by the inhabitants of lands north of the Black Sea; this ram, in some versions of the tale, is transformed into the constellation Aries.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
RELATED LOTS
-
.jpg)
Eastern Greek Bronze Ring with Bull
5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,690
Ellipsoid bezel with incuse profile figure of a bull, frond above. 6.02 grams, 23.53 mm overall, 19.02 x 17.78 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q 1/2, USA 8 1/4, Europe 18.12, Japan 17)
English art market, 2022. Private collection, England. -
Mycenaean Painted Pottery Flask
14th-13th century B.C.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £750
Comprising a circular body with a rounded base and two strap handles, a short neck with an everted rim; the body with a painted expanding cross motif with the arms separated by a band of pellets. 132 grams, 11.1 cm
Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in the 1994. Private family 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 search certificate number no.13018-246795.
Mycenaean ceramics were influenced by Minoan shapes and decorative styles from the late Middle Helladic period. This close relationship – likely accompanied by the development of shared cultural practices and etiquette – creates the hypothesis that pilgrim flasks were introduced to Greece via Crete. Pilgrim flasks were produced in Mycenaean contexts from the Late Helladic IIA:1 period (1420-1390 B.C.). -
Two-handled Villanova Bowl
8th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
A squat vessel with a small base, raised neck and slightly projecting rim, carinated shoulder with two projecting bosses and a pair of high strap handles. 221 grams, 13.4 cm wide
Old Basel private collection. Elsa Bloch-Diener, Antike Kunst, Bern, 27 July 1990. Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. Private collection, UK.
