Punic Buff Ware Two-Handled Vase

Carved in the round figure of the goddess standing nude with one hand raised and the other on her pudendum, her hair gathered into a chignon with lateral bunches on the crown and with voids to allow for the suspension of small gold earrings; putto at her left knee; left hand partly absent; remounted on a socle base. 1.2 kg, 32.7 cm



Acquired in the 1992. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12860-241669.

Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was one of the most widely worshipped deities in the ancient world, particularly across the eastern Greek regions of Asia Minor. In these areas, her image often blended traditional Greek ideals with local influences, giving rise to distinctive regional styles. Marble figures such as this would have served not only as works of art but also as expressions of devotion, reflecting both personal piety and broader cultural values surrounding beauty, fertility, and desire. The enduring popularity of Aphrodite’s image speaks to her central role in daily life, where she was invoked not just in matters of love, but also in marriage, prosperity, and well-being.

Discoid bezel with slender hoop, incuse profile bust with a stephane to the hair. 6.57 grams, 25.86 mm overall, 20.08 x 15.91 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N, USA 6 1/2, Europe 13.72, Japan 13)



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

A snaffle bit with a loop at each outer end with ferrous remains and a three-lobed strap junction attached to the straight mouth bars. 280 grams, 26.9 cm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.