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LOT 0074
Scythian Electrum Torc
7TH-5TH CENTURY B.C.
6 1/2 in. (169 grams, 16.5 cm diameter).
Formed as a simple penannular hoop from a single piece of electrum, tapering towards the terminals.
ProvenanceEx Jack Ogden, 1990s.
Accompanied by an expertise from Striptwist Ltd, a London-based company run by historical precious metal specialist Dr Jack Ogden, reference number [191101].
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13106-248042.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession Number: 47.100.13, for similar.
FootnotesPortable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis confirms the alloy to be electrum, with an average composition of approximately 62% gold, 34% silver, and 3% copper. The purity and metal ratios are consistent with ancient manufacture. The restrained form, lacking figural ornament, is characteristic of early Scythian metalwork and suggests a date prior to the 5th century BC.
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AUCTIONS:
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Greek Terracotta Standing Figure
Archaic, 7th-5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
Modelled in the round figure standing with arms raised, head tilted upward with shoulder-length hair and horned cap, collar to the throat with large disc closure, pectoral pendant on a stylised braided thong; mounted on a custom-made stand; possibly Cypriot workmanship. 277 grams total, 17 cm high including stand
Ex Ernest Ohly collection. Acquired from Woolley & Wallis, Wiltshire, UK, 20 May 2010, no.1010 (part). From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent. -
Bronze Military Standard Finial of an Ibex
Transcaucasia, 13th-6th century B.C.Estimate: £8,000 - 10,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £4,000
Wth a rounded body and prominent raised neck, a tubular muzzle with stylised eyes and ears and a small, slightly open mouth; a ring with a chain and a large carnelian sphere beneath the chin; a wide incised groove above the front legs, perhaps intended to represent muscles; a long slit beneath the abdomen; standing on a rectangular platform with a pin for insertion to a wooden shaft; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 643 grams total, ibex: 15 cm high
Acquired in Vienna, Austria, in the 1990s. Collection of N.M., former Israeli Ambassador to Austria (1998–2000). Private collection, London. 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.13039-247908.
In Scythian art, the ibex was often depicted in dynamic ‘animal style’ symbolising life, strength, and perhaps cosmic struggles, potentially linked to seasonal cycles or fertility, showing its sacred status as a totem animal alongside mouflons. The realistically depicted posture of the animal testifies to the ancient masters' keenness of observation and of their skill in rendering the character of the animal in metal. The posture recalls more archaic (7th-6th century B.C.) animal style art found in the Tagar finials. -
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Phoenician Terracotta Bulla with a Dolphin
5th century B.C.Estimate: £150 - 200 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £80
Plano-convex in profile with impressed dolphin and legend. 1.05 grams, 17.71 mm
Acquired in 1994. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
