Hellenistic Gold Mount Pair

With inverted echinus lip and tall neck, a ribbed handle to each side with coiling lotus buds and palmettes beneath the handles; Side a) a running winged Gorgon depicted frontally, dressed in a black and red chiton; Side b) an aristocratic warrior wearing a Chalcidian helmet and driving a quadriga, the two central horses superimposed, the other two turned outward; a frieze of lotus buds and a band Greek key motifs below, the neck decorated with red and black palmettes, and elongated lotus blossoms; restored. 3.25 kg, 39 cm high



Acquired in Geneva in 1954. Formerly in the Y. Forrer collection, Geneva, Switzerland. Private collection, Switzerland, 1999. with Gorny & Mosch, Munich, 20 June 2012, no.73. 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.11798-206784.

This wonderful vase can be attributed to the Swing Painter, active in Athens during the last part of the 6th century B.C. Beazley named him after the subject of a girl on a swing that he painted more than once. He was a pot painter, perhaps a pupil of the Princeton Painter. His black-figure paintings included a range of mythological subjects and some quite unusual images. A very large number of vases have been attributed to his hand on the basis of style. Characteristic of his paintings are contemporary touches, such as the presence of hoplites, in mythological scenes (München, Staatliche Antikensammlungen 1385 [J 729], Beazley Archive Pottery Database 301590; Poseidon fighting the giant Polybotes, Louvre F226). An important artwork is the famous representation of the Tyrant Pysistratos and his Rabdophoroi (bodyguards armed with clubs, Athens National Archaeological Museum 15111, Beazley Archive Pottery Database 301523).

Globular in form with trumpet-shaped mouth, painted band to shoulder. 612 grams, 16.5 cm high



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

Modelled in the round figure standing with arms raised, head tilted upward with shoulder-length hair and horned cap, collar to the throat with large disc closure, pectral pendant on a stylised braided thong; mounted on a custom-made stand; possibly Cypriot workmanship. 277 grams total, 17 cm high including stand



Ex Ernest Ohly collection. Acquired from Woolley & Wallis, Wiltshire, UK, 20 May 2010, no.1010 (part). From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. Accompanied by a copy of the Woolley & Wallis catalogue listing and the original lot tag.