Scythian Bronze crouching Wolf Mount

Of piriform shape with a small foot, multi-petalled rosette within the shallow kick-up to base, vertically fluted body, ovolo ornament to the shoulder and flared mouth with rolled rim; six strain holes to the shoulder; held within a custom-made felt-lined display box. 132 grams, 13.5 cm high ( 765 grams total, 22 x 17 cm including box)



with the Mahboubian Gallery, London, UK; acquired before 1972. with Bonhams, London, 26 October 2007, lot 213. Acquired on the London art market.

The straining holes are an indication that the vessel possibly once had a spout.

Comprising a trumpet-shaped base, carinated balusters and broad upper face with dished centre; painted with running wave patterns to the baluster, base and top, the centre with a rosette; the base with the profile head of a lady of fashion with the earrings, necklace and diadem picked out in white. 847 grams, 25 cm high



French collection, 1990s-early 2000s. Ex Hampel Auctions, Munich, Germany, 1990s.

Hemispherical in form with decoration in relief featuring fluting alternating with nymphs and symbols beneath an architectural border, cracked and chipped. 257 grams, 11.9 cm wide



Private Dutch collection, 1970-2010. Ex private Dutch collection, 2010-2018.

The term ‘Megarian’ bowl applied to this type of pottery is a modern convention for academic purposes. The name ‘Megarian’ was first given to this type of mould-made relief bowl in the late 19th century, because some of the first known examples were said to have come from the city of Megara. In reality, such terracotta items originated in Athens in the 3rd quarter of the 3rd century BC, and from that point were made in all major Greek cities for the duration of the Hellenistic period and into the Roman, especially in Alexandria. This relief-decorated pottery became more popular than painted pottery during the Hellenistic period. This class of hemispherical bowl was made in moulds and was characterised by decoration imitating metallic beakers. When the finished bowl was taken from the mould, it was probably dipped in varnish or dull paint and fired. According to Prof. P.V.C. Baur, the stamps used for making moulds were not produced in every manufacturing centre of ‘Megarian’ bowls, but were made only in important centres such as Athens, Pergamon, Antioch and Alexandria, and sold to potters throughout the Hellenistic world. The fact that the edge of the bowl is turned outwards suggests Athenian production, and a comparison with the decorative petals on the Delian Cup (no.1913.199 of the Rebecca Darlington collection) is also plausible.