South Italian Terracotta Painted Jug

Depicting a young man dressed in a long cloak, the right hand resting on a staff, facing a young woman wrapped in a long himation, covering her head and leaving the face uncovered; the scene enclosed within a medallion decorated with meanders and chequered squares; remains of the stem to the reverse with painted figures on the edge; repaired. 91 grams, 13 cm



Acquired before 2005. Private collection, Europe. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11796-206819.

This red-figure scene once possibly formed part of a kylix, a cup made for drinking. The decoration of the tondo surrounding the figures allows a comparison with some works of the painter Onesimos and the potter Euphronios. In particular the meanders on the medallion, and the working of the figures, seems to recall the work of Onesimos, who preferred to decorate cups, many of them thrown by the famous Euphronios.

Formed as a standing male figure with swept back, shoulder-length hair, hands held at the waist; mounting lug below. 66 grams, 86 mm



with a London, UK gallery 1971-early 2000s.

This hilt was probably for an acinaces blade, usually 14-18 inches long and used throughout a vast swath of territory encompassing the eastern Mediterranean, the Near East and central Asia, by such diverse cultures as the Parthians, the Medes, the Greeks, and the Scythians.

The elegant figure depicting the Greek god of fire and metalworking seated and nude except for the pilos on his head, lean body with naturalistic detailing, shown bearded and with curly hair emerging beneath the cap; he would have once held a pair of tongs in his left hand and a hammer in his right hand; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 294 grams total, 13.5 cm high including stand

Fine condition, wonderful state of preservation, very rare.

with Elie Borowski, Basel. Subsequently in the collection of Denys Sutton (1917-1991), London, acquired from the above on 11 October 1963. Thence by descent. with Sotheby's, New York, 6 December 2012, lot 11. 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. 11827-207739.

According to legend, Hephaistos was thrown into the ocean by his mother Hera and raised by the sea nymph Thetis. Upon his return to Olympus, he took his revenge by imprisoning his mother and obtaining the hand of the most beautiful of the goddesses, Aphrodite. He became the blacksmith of the gods. Sculptural depictions of the god, known as Vulcan to the Romans, are very rare. Hephaistos was the armourer of the heroes, and certainly his greatest artwork was making Achilles' armour.