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LOT 0520
Greek Terracotta Head Collection
CIRCA 4TH-2ND CENTURY B.C.
1 1/2 - 2 7/8 in. (116 grams total, 37-72 mm).
Comprising four head fragments, one fragment of the upper torso of a male, and a bird fragment. [6, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a Cambridge, UK, gentleman, by direct descent from his father, who acquired the items in London in circa 1960.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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LOT 0520
Greek Terracotta Head Collection
Estimate £60 - 80€70 - 93 (for guidance only)$81 - 108 (for guidance only)
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Etruscan Carnelian Scarab of a Fletcher in Gold Ring
Late 4th-3rd century B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
With carapace detailing and intaglio of a crouching male carving an arrow, set within a dotted border; set into a later gold swivel ring. 4.24 grams, 27.12 mm overall, 18.38 x 18.49 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P 1/2, USA 7 3/4, Europe 16.86, Japan 16)
Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the English art market. -
Greek Bronze Ring with Standing Figure
Circa 3rd-2nd century B.C.Estimate: £30 - 40 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Featuring a D-section hoop and an oval bezel with a stylised figure facing left. 1.58 grams, 18.07 mm overall, 14.74 mm internal diameter (approximate size British H, USA 3 3/4, Europe 6.18, Japan 6)
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
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Etruscan Amber Head Pendant
Etruria, 5th century B.C.Estimate: £1,800 - 2,400 (+bp*)
Bids: 4 | Current Bid: £1,600
Carved from translucent red-brown amber as a profile head with stylised Archaic features, large almond eye beneath a defined brow ridge, a softly smiling mouth, and carefully delineated hair arranged in striated bands sweeping back from the face; a drilled perforation at the crown indicates its original function as a suspended ornament; accompanied by a display stand. 23 grams, 50 mm (242 grams total, 81 mm including stand)
Sotheby's, London, 14-15 December 1981, no.206. American private collection; acquired at the above sale. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13329-257968.
Amber was a prestigious imported material in Etruria, highly prized for its rarity, colour, and perceived apotropaic power. From the late 6th century B.C. onwards, figured amber pendants appear in elite tombs, particularly those of women, reflecting both personal identity and a protective role within funerary belief systems. The prominent, wide-open eye here may have served as a talismanic motif, thought to ward off malign forces and ensure the wearer’s vigilance and well-being in life and beyond the grave. This piece reflects the distinctive aesthetic of Etruscan amber carving, in which Mediterranean influences are reinterpreted with a locally expressive sculptural style.
