Loading, please wait...
LOT 0097
Scythian Bronze Finial with Animal Head
5TH-4TH CENTURY B.C.
9 3/4 in. (570 grams, 24.6 cm).
Comprising an ellipsoid panel mounted on a conical socket; openwork lattice design with lozenge voids; socket with horse-head to one face, lateral lugs above the mouth.
ProvenancePrivate European collection, 1990s.
Private collection, London, UK.
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.13278-254311.
Cf. similar elements in Artamanov, M., I., Treasures from Scythian Tombs), London, 1969, figs.73-75; for Scythian Horse Harness cf. Galanina, L.K. Die Kurgane von Kelermes:“Königsgräber” der frühskythischen Zeit, Moscow, 1997.
FootnotesBronze pole tops, together with mirrors and horse trappings, were characteristic of Scythian art. Usually, Scythian warrior burials were accompanied by horses, the number of which corresponded to the status of the deceased (Galanina, 1997, p.54, fig.16). In the famous Chrertomlyk barrow, together with a deposit of 250 bridles, several openwork pole-tops were found, with figures of animals and birds, which could have been mounts for the harness or top of standards. However, they could also have been the upper part of staff poles decorating funeral wagons. Pole tops are one of the most significant objects used by the Scythians, and formed part of the ritual furnishings.
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
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0097
Scythian Bronze Finial with Animal Head
Estimate £2,000 - 3,000€2,320 - 3,480 (for guidance only)$2,700 - 4,050 (for guidance only)
-
.jpg)
Eastern Greek Marble Figure of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,200
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. -
.jpg)
Scythian Gold Ibex Plaque Pair
Circa 7th century B.C.Estimate: £7,000 - 9,000 (+bp*)
Current Winning Bid: £3,500
Each a profile ibex with head reversed, horn returned to attach at the neck, pellet eye, beaded ring-and-dot motif to the shoulder and hip; thick attachment loop to the reverse. 15.6 grams total, 34-34.2 mm
Acquired in the 1980s. Private collection, London, UK. 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.13253-252971.
It is possible to hypothesise that these two elements were bridle plaques, like the two wolf-shaped bridle plaques, in a similar position and style, found in the Kurgan of Pazyrik (Piotrowskij, 1987, p.107, no.137). Belt plaques with zoomorphic motifs illustrate not only the recognised unity of the zoomorphic art of the Steppes, but also the links between the Scythians and the eastern nomadic groups. -
.jpg)
Greek Terracotta Lekanis Lid
Circa 4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Discoid and convex with concentric rings to the upper face, knop handle with central recess. 34.6 grams, 77 mm
From the private collection of Mr Brian Edwards, New Malden, Surrey, UK, formed from the late 1970s-early 1980s; thence by descent.
