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LOT 2046
Post Medieval Coptic Silvered Cross Pendant
ETHIOPIA, 20TH CENTURY A.D.
2 in. (18.3 grams, 50 mm).
Cross botonny with suspension loop, ring-and-dot to centre of obverse. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom an old Lincoln, UK, collection, 1950s-1970s.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
See Wlodzimierz Grzegorz Winkler, W.G., Piekarska-Winkler, D., ‘Krzyże Etiopii: orientalna ewolucja na obrzeżach Kościola’ in Saeculum Christianum, 15 (2008), nr.1, pp.101-108.
FootnotesThe pectoral cross, also called the neck cross, is much smaller in the Orthodox Ethiopian world (and in general in all Orthodox world) than both the processional and the priests' cross. These crosses, secured by a blue string or cord, adorn the necks of the faithful. Many people receive their pectoral cross at baptism. They are made from a range of materials: bronze, silver, iron, horn, and occasionally gold. The richness of ornaments and the complex structure of Ethiopian crosses give a picture of an extraordinary culture, that of one of the world’s oldest Christian societies. The ornaments and forms of the crosses of Ethiopia are unique and instantly recognisable.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
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Neo-Classical Marble Bust of a Noble Lady
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Neoclassical Carnelian Gemstone with Bacchic Procession
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The oval intaglio carved with a lively Bacchic procession: a winged putto driving a goat-drawn chariot, grasping a thyrsus with one hand and guiding the reins with the other; before the chariot, another putto dancing and playing the pipes; set in a gold pendant. 7.83 grams, 38 mm
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The subject reflects the revival of antique themes characteristic of early 19th-century glyptic art, drawing inspiration from Roman gems and Renaissance engravings after Raphael. Such imagery of putti in Bacchic revels was emblematic of festivity, abundance, and playful triumph, well-suited to the Neoclassical fascination with classical allegory. For a comparison, see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession no. 49.97.335, “A frieze arrangement with a putto wearing a laurel crown riding a goat at left and many infants playing musical instruments in front,” Master of the Die after Raphael, c. 1530–60.
