Lot 117, one of two Roman bronze attachments of hunting panthers, circa 1st-2nd Century A.D., 16 1/4 inches long
Lot
117 is a very impressive pair of Roman bronze panthers resting on
the head of an antelope. The bronzes date circa 1st-2nd Century
A.D., and are 16 1/4 inches long. They are attrachments, most
likely for chariot fittings, alluding to the panthers that drew the
chariot of Dionysus as part of the mythological cortege accompanying
the god's triumphal return from Asia. The catalogue suggests that
because of their large size they may have decorated a large throne.
The lot has a very modest estimate of $160,000 to $230,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 115, Three Graces, Roman marble relief, circa 2nd Century A.D., 27 inches high
Lot
115 is a Roman marble relief of the Three Graces, circa 2nd Century
A.D. It is 27 inches high. The Greek Kharites, or Gratiae
in their Latin form, personified grace and loveliness and were
goddesses of the natural beauty of fertility and beauty. The lot
has a modest estimate of $$160,000 to $230,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 116, Owl, marble, Roman, circa 1st Century A.D., 20 1/2 inches highLot
116 is a large marble owl that is Roman, circa 1st Century A.D.
It is 20 1/2 inches high. The owl is the symbolic attribute
of Athena and represents her judicious wisdom. The lot has an
estimate of $160,000 to $230,000. It sold for $407,986 to an American collector.
Lot 88, Crane, Greek, classial period, circa 5th Century B.C., bronze, 2 7/8 inches high
Lot
88 is a lovely Greek bronze figure of a crane from the Classical
Period, circa 5th Century B.C. It is 2 7/8 inches high. It
was once in the collection of Norbert Schimmel of New York and has been
exhibited in 1978 in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. It has an
estimate of $46,000 to $75,000. It sold for 34,850 pounds including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
Despite some major disappointments, the auction total was $13,017,786.
Laetitia
Delaloye, specialist and head of the sale for Christie's London, said
"We are delighted," adding that "The Egyptian section witnessed
particularly strong prices."
Lot 23, bowl, gilt silver, Elymaean, circa 2nd Century A.D., 3 inches high
Lot
23 is an exquisite Elymanean gilt silver bowl, circa 2nd Century A.D.
It is 3 inches high and 4 3/8 inches in diameter. The bowl
was acquired in Iran in 1964 and the catalogue notes that Elymais was a
local, so-called Hellenistic dynasty in south-western Iran that
flourished during the Selecuid and Arsakid periods, circa 188 B.C. to
222 A.D. "The Elmaean dialect of Aramaic," according to the
catalogue, "is known only from the coinage of the rulers of Elymais and
a few short rock inscriptions and is still not fully deciphered.
The present inscription seems to record the presentation of the
bowl by a lady named as 'Atahana, daughter of Madubara...of King Orodes
Farah.'"
It has an estimate of $380,000 to $530,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 129, gold and carnelian cameo ring, Graeco-Roman, circa 1st Century B.C.-1st Century A.D., 1 1/8 inches long
Lot
129 is a very impressive Graeco-Roman cameo ring with a bust of Zeus in
a gold setting, circa 1st Century B.C.-1st Century A.D. It is 1
1/8 inches long and has a large oval bezel decorated with a band of
repoussé ovolo. The cameo bust of Zeus has finely detailed
luxuriously curling hair and beard with a long curving moustache and
drapery of his left shoulder. It has an estimate of $31,000 to
$38,000. It failed to sell.
Lot
139, pair of gold, lapis lazuli, glass and pearl bracelets, Byzantine,
circa 5th-7th Century A.D., 2 5/16 inches diameter
Lot
139 is a very beautiful pair of Byzantine bracelets with gold, lapis
lazuli, glass and peals. The catalogue dates it circa 5th-7th
Century A.D. Each bracelet is 2 5/16-inches in diameter.
The catalogue notes the pair is closely related in construction
and decorative scheme to those from the Assiut Teasures and
particularly to the pair in the Antikensammlung in Berlin. It
also notes that the hoop and hinges are comparable to a pair from the
Cyprus Treasure at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, adding that
"typologically, these bracelets are probably most closely related to
the pair from Varna in the Narodni Museum in Bulgaria." It also
notes that the fourth attendant on the left of the Empress Theodora in
the mosaic at Ravenna wears an articulated bracelet similar to the
present pair. The lot has an estimate of $310,000 to $450,000.
It failed to sell.
Lot 57, Isis, greywacke, Egyptian, Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, circa 664-525 B.C., 28 3/4 inches high
Lot
57, the impressive greywacke statue of Isis seated on a throne is
Egyptian, Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, circa 664-525 B.C. It is 28
3/4 inches high. There are inscriptions on the four sides of the
throne with a magical incantation for the Royal Acquaintance,
Ptahirdis, True of voice, son of Wepwawetemsaf, begotten of
Merprahites." The statue is very close, according to the
catalogue, to one in the Cairo Museum. The lot has an estimate
of $610,000 to $900,000. It sold to Daniel Katz Ltd., for $5,930,494, a world auction record for an ancient Egyptian work of art.
Lot 76, Falcon head glass inlay, Egyptian, Ptolemaic Period, circa 332-30 B.C., 3 1/8 inches long
Lot
76 is a gorgeous Egyptian Falcon head glass inlay from the Ptolemaic
Period, circa 332-30 B.C. It is 3 1/8 inches long. The
catalogue notes that a similar head is in the Brooklyn Museum in a gold
mount, It has an estimate of $380,000 to $530,000. It failed to sell.