Greek Terracotta Protome Mask Collection

From a kylix, the inside painted with two young naked athletes within a medallion, conversing and cleaning their bodies with a strigil, the edge of the medallion decorated with a series of meanders and four crosses; the outside with two naked athletes and other figures, divided by foliage ornaments and volutes. 121 grams, 15.2 cm



Acquired in before 2005. Private collection, Europe. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11805-206818.

The Euaion painter was a prolific artist of about 460 B.C. His painting - already in the manneristic period of the Attic red figures vases - was more nearly classical in style, although the ancestry of his small-headed, slim figures, is very evident. He introduced a high, sometimes patterned ground line for an upright two-figure group, and preferred the old elaborately patterned borders for tondos and the ground lines outside cups.

Tousled curly hair, strong aquiline nose and full mouth; the deep eyes marked by raised eyelids and prominent semi-circular eyebrows; the hair arranged in overlapping rows of locks; repaired; mounted on a later porphyry plinth. 1.40 kg total, 23.5 cm high including stand



From the estates of the late Adrian Stanford and Norman St John-Stevas, Baron St John of Fawsley. with the previous owner since 1982. with Christie's, London, South Kensington, 22 February 2017, lot 10. 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.11774-204595.

The head represents a Hellenistic portrait of a young man, whose characteristics seem to suggest a reference to a youthful portrait of Alexander the Great. Another possibility is that it represents the portrait of Alexander’s companion, Hephaestion.

Formed with stylised features including a hooked beak and large circular eye; suspension loop to reverse. 3.24 grams, 21 mm



Acquired in the 1960s. Private collection, Wein, Austria. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection, since 2014. Accompanied by an old identification ticket.