Post Byzantine Bronze Pendant with Saint

Composed of carved cylindrical and small cylindrical spacer beads interspersed with teardrop-shaped pendant beads with a central spherical feature bead. 30.8 grams, 48 cm long



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

Painted on a wooden board with gessoed surface, tempera on wood panel with the recess executed on a gold ground in three registers: above, Deisis with Christ Pantocrator carrying the Gospel, flanked by the Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist; middle, with three bearded saints with their names written in Greek beside them: Aghios Charalambos, Aghios Nikolaos and Aghios Pantaleimon, the first two holding holy books and one the third holding a child; bottom, two mounted military saints, St George attacking a dragon with spear, and St Demetrius trampling the King of Avars. 1.8 kg, 26.8 x 35.5 cm



Ex Henry's Auction, Berlin, Germany. From an important collection of icons. 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.12343-224612.

Here, according to local Greek traditions, the icon is enriched with images of three important saints: among them St Pantaleimon, holding a child in his arms. According to the legend, one day the Saint found a dead child on the street who had been bitten by a snake, which was still beside the child’s body. Pantaleimon began to pray for Jesus to revive the dead child and to destroy the venomous reptile, believing that if his prayers were fulfilled he would become a follower of Christ. His prayers were fulfilled and the child rose up alive, and the snake died before Pantaleimon’s eyes.

Comprising a rhomboid hoop and inset an amethyst cabochon, with intaglio portrait bust of a king or god (Herakles?) looking right. 5.87 grams, 25.14 mm overall, 19.14 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)



From a private family collection formed since the early 19th century, thence by descent. Property of a New Zealand legal professional. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12330-223720.

The engraved head probably is depicting a Greek king or a Roman emperor from the Antonine Dynasty of the 2nd century A.D. The style of engraving does not assist with making a firm identification, but a cameo with a similar subject is in the Guy Ladriére collection and the head is attributed to Emperor Hadrian (Scarisbrick, Wagner, Boardman, 2016b, no. 40). The subject was extremely popular in modern times, and identification with Heracles is also possible.