Greek Terracotta Idol Head

A shallow phiale with chamfered, thickened rim; narrow band of gilding beneath the rim, broad parcel-gilt decorative band with wave borders framing reserved tendrils and foliage; to the centre a parcel-gilt panel with keystone border and quatrefoil motif. 428 grams, 21.2 cm



French collection, 1980s. Pierre Berge & Associes, Paris, Archéologie, 16 May 2018, lot 214. Accompanied by a copy of a seven-page examination report number 113/2019 by Dr habil Mikhail Treister. Accompanied by the original French archaeological passport. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Pierre Berge & Associes catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.10426-168735.

The bowl is comparable to an early group of Parthian bowls, kept in the P. Getty Museum, dated to the 2nd century B.C. It belongs to a group of bowls with parcel-gilt decoration on the interior, most probably manufactured in one of the Eastern Hellenistic workshops.

With two handles and an everted rim; parallel, vertical strokes on the neck and below a swan with its wings open and neck elegantly curved, a staff on the background. 57.1 grams, 76 mm



Swiss private collection, assembled in the 1960s and 1970s. Acquired by the present owner in 2004. 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.13019-246754.

The swan was a favoured motif in Greek art, admired for its elegance and associations with divinity and beauty. In mythology, the bird was sacred to Apollo, god of music and light, whose chariot was said to be drawn by swans on his annual journey to the land of the Hyperboreans. It was likewise linked to Aphrodite, symbolising love and sensuality, and appears in scenes celebrating harmony and the ideal of beauty. The swan also featured prominently in the myth of Leda and the Swan, in which Zeus, transformed into the bird, inspired numerous representations across Greek art.

Plano-convex in profile with impressed dolphin and legend. 1.05 grams, 17.71 mm



Acquired in 1994. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

This Phoenician terracotta bulla, decorated with a dolphin, reflects the strong maritime identity of the Phoenician world. Bullae were typically used to seal documents or goods, serving both a practical and symbolic function in trade and administration. The dolphin, a creature closely associated with the sea, would have held particular meaning for the Phoenicians, whose culture and prosperity were deeply tied to seafaring and commerce across the Mediterranean. Often seen as a symbol of protection, guidance, and safe passage, the dolphin adds an additional layer of meaning to the object, suggesting not only its use in everyday transactions but also a connection to the wider beliefs and environment of the ancient coastal world.