Hellenistic Terracotta Head of a Woman

Squat in profile with rounded rim and flared foot. 16.3 grams, 50 mm



Believed to have been part of the Duke of Northumberland collection. From an early 20th century collection. From a Hampshire, UK, private collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Roughly bell-shaped in profile with scooped rear face and socket to base; rim to upper edge above facing image of a grotesque bearded male with arms angled and hands on his wrinkled abdomen. legs bent to each side, genitals resting on a stele; old collector's label 'L-16434' to top; Etruscan or Italic. 1.53 kg, 18 cm



The Erotica Collection Christian von Faber-Castell, Küsnacht ZH, Switzerland, since the late 1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Christian von Faber-Castell (born 1950) is a renowned German entrepreneur and art collector, best known as a member of the prominent Faber-Castell family, famed for their iconic writing instruments. A passionate advocate for art and culture, Christian von Faber-Castell curated an extensive and diverse private collection of erotica, spanning centuries and cultures. His collection reflects a deep appreciation for the interplay of beauty, sensuality, and artistic expression, bringing together rare and unique works that explore themes of intimacy and human connection. Pieces from this collection have been featured in notable exhibitions and are celebrated for their artistic and historical significance. This offering represents a rare opportunity to acquire works from one of the most fascinating and eclectic private collections of its kind.

Engraved to the underside with a reclining zebu facing right with short protruding horns and a pointed ear; smooth, curved top and a narrow longitudinal perforation. 1.83 grams, 15 mm



with Herbert A. Cahn, Basel, 1990s. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00075367. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The body, head and joints are rendered in the “globolo” drilling technique, in which circular recesses of different sizes are carved into the stone, whilst fine cuts are used to depict the horns, ear and tail. In the Achaemenid period, ‘globolo’ style visible on some gemstones, mainly with animal motifs, developed in Syria-Phoenicia, but the gems did not carry specific Persian motifs, except perhaps this series with a zebu bull.