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Mint Hellenistic Greek Canosan Cast Glass Plate: X-Rare
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pre AD 1000 item# 590958
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$8400.00
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This extremely rare Greek glass plate dates from the Hellenistic period, circa 4th-3rd century BC. This piece was probably made in Canosa, Apulia, that is in southern Italy. The vessel is approximately 6.25 inches in diameter by .8 inches high and is in mint condition with no stress cracks and/or chips. This piece is surprisingly heavy for its size as well, as this piece was cast in a two-piece mold and was then smoothed by grinding and polishing. Cast glass is thicker and denser than glass that was free blown, and is more difficult to produce. With the advent of glass blowing technology that was perfected by the Romans, they were able to mass produce glass vessels in great numbers with a wide range of shapes. The earlier Greek cast glass was limited to mostly plates, bowls, and cups with added handles. There are very few Greek cast vessels in the marketplace today, as most ancient glass seen on the market is Roman blown glass. This piece is the one and only "Canosan" glass vessel I have owned and have seen on the market in quite some time. This piece has subtle concentric circles that can be seen, and these were created from the grinding/polishing process. This piece is colorless with a greenish tinge and this color is the more common color for glass of this type. This color also matches the majority of the ten Canosan vessels that are now in the British Museum and were donated by the executors of Felix Slade in 1959. A shallow dish that is analogous to the piece offered here is from this group, and is seen in "Masterpieces of Glass" by D.B. Harden, British Museum Pub. 1968, p. 31, no.35. The piece offered here has a thick milky white patina that is adhered to the outer surface, and in places where this is missing, the glass has a multi-colored iridescence. There are also traces of minute root marking and mineral deposits. In "Early Ancient Glass", by Frederick Grose, Toledo Museum of Art, page 186 the following is seen: "To date, five hoards of glass vessels have been identified. Three are known to have been found in separate multichambered family tombs at Canosa; two are thought to have come from this locale but lack documentation. In addition, a few isolated examples from single burials can be attributed to the town. Elsewhere in Magna Graecia, vessels of the group have been found in Campania, at Reggio in Calabria, at Naxos and Morgantina on Sicily, and in Etruria. Outside Italy, sites in Greece, Asia Minor, along the Black Sea, and possibly Cyrenaica have also yielded examples. The number of recorded vessels of the group now stands at about sixty, illustrating a dozen main forms and variants, (see Fig.92)". The vessel offered here is of the type illustrated, in Figure 92 as noted above, as being a rarer form which is a circular cosmetic plate, with some of which have square rims. (For a Greek Hellenistic light green-tinted cast bowl of the same shape as the piece offered here, although it has a ring base at the bottom and is approximately 4.2 inches in diameter, see: Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, June 2003, no. 152. $6,000.00-$9,000.00 estimates.) If you are a collector of ancient glass, this may be one of the few opportunities to own an extremely rare Canosan glass vessel from this group and of this type. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. circa 1965. Ex: Hadji Soleimani collection, London. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Sensual Greek Hellenistic Terracotta of Aphrodite
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pre AD 1000 item# 807465
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
Sold
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This exceptional Greek Hellenistic terracotta was mold made from a light brown clay, and has spotty traces of a thin white glaze. This piece dates circa 250-150 B.C. and is in superb condition, with no apparent repair/restoration. This piece is very voluptuous, and has a very sensuous body and beautiful face. There is no question that this piece was meant to portray a young Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love. This piece may be from Myrina in Asia Minor, as this center produced the finest of Greek terracottas in the late Hellenistic period. (For the type see "Classical Terracotta Figures" by James Chesterman, Ward Lock Limited Pub., London, 1974, no. 85.) This figure has her hair set in a detailed "melon-type" coiffure, and there is also detailed rolled hair seen above the forehead. She is also seen seated nude with her hands at her side, and the detail seen in the face and hair is emphasized with the plain design of the torso. This piece was likely votive as well, and/or was possibly a fertility offering. This piece is exceptional in that the molding, relative to the hair and the face, is very detailed as it is beautiful. This piece is approximately 4.7 inches high and sits on a custom black plexiglas stand. This beautiful example has exceptional artistic style, and is not often seen on the market in this quality, as it is mint quality with thin to heavy traces of original white pigment. A terracotta attributed to Myrina with an analogous face is seen in "Greek Terracottas" by R.A. Higgins, Methuen & Co., Pub., London, 1967, Pl. 53, no. C. (See attachment.) Ex: Private German collection. Ex: Private New York collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint Greek Lustrous Black Glazed Oinochoe
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1138367
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
Sold
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This mint quality vessel is a black glazed oinochoe that dates circa mid to late 4th century B.C. This piece is approximately 5.7 inches high, and has a beautiful lustrous deep black glaze. This piece is also larger than most examples, and is one of the best quality examples that have recently been on the market, as this piece is flawless with no restoration/repair, and the black glaze has an even deep black color. This graceful piece is likely Campanian culture, although it resembles the earlier Attic black glazed types. This piece has a ribbed body on the upper shoulder, slender neck, trefoil spout, and slender handle. This piece also has an unglazed bottom surface that is a light red terracotta. There are also some spotty white calcite deposits seen on the inside surface of the vessel. This mint piece is scarce, as it is seldom seen on the market in this mint condition. Another analogous example of nearly the same size and quality is seen in Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, Dec. 2001, no. 100. ($3,000.00-$4,000.00 estimates, $3,6000.00 realized.) Ex: Harmer Rooke Galleries Auction, New York, April 1986, no. 184. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Greek Bronze Figurine Votive Model, Minoan/Mycenaean
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 987732
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$3,675.00
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This extremely rare piece is a model that consists of five bronze figurines. These figurines are votive in nature, and are likely attributed to the Minoan/Mycenaean culture, and date circa LH III, 1400-1100 B.C. The five figurines are approximately 3.5, 3.4, 3.35, 2.0, and 1.75 inches high. The figurines all have a nice light to dark green patina, and there are spotty light brown deposits which are more prevalent on the inside surfaces of the figurines. The figurines are intact, save for the figurine that is approximately 2.0 inches high, which has a missing arm and a crack in the torso. In addition, the largest figurine which is approximately 3.5 inches high, was broken in half and was subsequently repaired with the break being visable. This break in the largest figurine may have been intentional as well, and could have been ceremoniously broken when these figurines were offered as a votive offering. These extremely rare figurines may have been a grave offering, and/or could have been an offering that depicted significant rituals that were associated with rites of passage that involved the dead. This theory was developed by Daniela Lefevre-Novaro, and her theory was supported by the figural terracotta models that were found in the Minoan Kamilari burial complex in Kamilari, Crete. These figural models can now be seen in the Herakleion Archaeological Museum, and date circa LM 1A, 1600-1500 B.C. (See "Coming of Age in Ancient Greece" by Jenifer Neils and John Oakley, Yale University Press, 2003, pp. 40-43. See the attached photo of one of these models.) The five extremely rare bronze figurines offered here are likely three adults and two children, and may represent a family. The arms of all of the figures are seen extended up into the air, and this is an ancient Greek sign of mourning a death, which is often depicted on art from the Greek Late Bronze Age, circa 13th century B.C., and it is therefore logical to assume that the family of figurines seen here may all be mourning a family member. (For two examples of art from the Greek Late Bronze Age that depict images of individuals with raised arms in mourning, see the two larnakes from Tanagra, Greece, which are terracotta chests used as coffins. These pieces can be seen in the Thebes Archaeological Museum, and date circa LH IIIB, 1300-1200 B.C. See attached photos.) The raised arms may also depict and/or represent bull's horns, and these extremely rare pieces may also have served as another type of sacred offering as well, and the exact symbolic representation of these pieces is unknown. What is known, is that these votive pieces represent a culture that made many grave offerings that were grouped together in shrines that were, in many cases, found outside of graves or nearby. The largest bronze figurines have incised line design just above their flared bases, and on the upper torso. This linear artistic incised line design is also seen on many examples of early Greek art from the Late Bronze Age, circa 1300 B.C., down to the Geometric Period, circa 750 B.C. These figurines are also hollow, and have a round hole that is seen where the neck/head may have been attached to the upper torso. The neck/head could have been made from wood, or some other perishable material, and was attached into these holes with a dowel. The majority of these early Greek models are made from terracotta, rather than bronze, and this is another reason why these exceptional figurines are extremely rare. A custom wooden and plexiglas stand is included, and the figurines have a wooden dowel that holds them in place on the stand. These figurines can also be easily removed, as they simply lift off of the stand. Ex: Private German collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that these pieces are authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Rare Greek Marble Cycladic Idol: 3rd Millennium BC
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Ancient World:
Greek:
Sculpture:
Pre AD 1000 item# 581392
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2,875.00
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This esoteric piece is a fragment of a Greek Cycladic idol of the "kiliya" female type, Early Bronze Age II, circa 2700-2400 BC. This torso fragment is about one third of the complete piece that it once was, and the breaks are at the lower neck/upper shoulder and below the waist of the figurine. This piece matches the scale and type of a complete piece that is seen in Sotheby's Antiquities, Dec. 2004, no. 223 (This piece sold for $764,000.00 including the buyer's premium). The piece noted above and the example offered here, both display three lines in the form of a triangle that defines the waist and the female abdomen. This highly stylized type of piece is a fusion of geometric forms, with relatively massive heads carved in the round atop long and slender necks, broad shoulders that slope in graceful curves that end abruptly at the elbows, and arms that are set off from the torso by oblique cuts. There are about 30 known complete examples of this rare marble type, and generally range in height from about 6 to 7 inches. This torso fragment is approximately 2.8 inches high, and if complete, would fall within the range of a complete example as noted above. The "Kiliya" name comes from a site near Gallipoli, where a figure now in the American School of Classical Studies in Athens was reputedly found. This type of piece is also known as a "stargazer" type, as the heads are all turned upwards and appear to face up to the sky. This type of piece is also thought to be western Anatolian in origin, with examples known from the Troad and from Mysia, Caria, and Lycia. This piece has heavy calcite mineral deposits seen on the backside and some lighter deposits on the front side, indicating a burial pattern. Authentic pieces like this with provenance are simply not on the market today, and even fragments like this are extremely rare. (A fragment of this type, size, and proportion was offered in New York in NFA Classical Auctions, Inc., Dec. 1991, no. 62, $6,000.00-$8,000.00 estimates.) For additional related examples see J. Thimme, "Art and Culture of the Cyclades in the Third Millenium B.C.", Chicago, 1977, no. 560-566; and "Kunst der Kykladen", Karlsruhe Museum Exhibit 1976, no.560 and 565. Ex: Bomford collection. Ex: Private German collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Greek Sub-Mycenaean Terracotta Amphora: 900-600 B.C.
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Ancient World:
Greek:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 594153
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$465.00
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This attractive piece is a Greek terracotta amphora that dates circa 1100-700 B.C., and is Sub-Mycenaean (Iron Age I & II). This light red terracotta is intact and has nice heavy white calcite deposits seen within the vessel. There are also spotty white calcite deposits seen on the outside surface and the inner surface has traces of root marking. This piece was probably used a table ware vessel and is approximately 4.6 inches high. A nice intact vessel with good eye appeal. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint X-Large Apulian Pyxis by the White-Sakkos Painter
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1142118
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
Price on Request
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This beautiful piece is a Greek Apulian pyxis that dates circa 320-310 B.C. This exceptional piece is approximately 11.6 inches high, and is an extremely large example for the type. This piece has also been attributed to the White-sakkos Painter, who was one of the better Apulian painters in the late 4th century B.C. This piece is also in mint condition, and there are very few large scale examples of this type of vessel that are of this remarkable mint condition and quality. There are no stress cracks and/or restoration/repair on this vessel, and the paint has very vibrant red, black, white, and yellow colors. This piece has a spherical form, and was made with two parts which consist of a lid and a lower bowl/base. The lower bowl/base has a round ring base, and is decorated with red and black palmette sections that run around the body. The upper lid has a knob handle at the top, and is decorated with a draped seated woman holding a temple-shaped box, and an approaching nude flying winged Eros that is seen holding a thymiaterion and a jug. Both of these attractive figures are also wearing a white sakkos hair tie, and appear to be interacting with one another. There is also a detailed floral decoration seen below the flying Eros, and a hydria is seen below the seated woman. The hydria has a painted side handle which also resembles a Greek letter, and this letter may be a hidden signature of the potter and/or workshop. The draped seated woman may also be Demeter or Persephone, who dwelled in the Greek underworld. This seated woman also has one exposed breast, which is a hallmark feature of the White-Sakkos Painter, and according to A.D. Trendall in "Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily", Thames and Hudson Pub., 1989, p. 100: "and males look increasingly efffeminate, at times almost hermaphroditic. Woman's drapery is marked by bunches of fold-lines at the waist; their breasts are clearly defined, with one often exposed." On the back side of this upper lid, there is an extensive palmette decoration that also aligns with the alternating palmette designs seen on the lower bowl. This type of vessel was also used by ancient Greek woman as a container for beauty articles for the toilet, and this vessel was never used in life, as it is likely a votive example given it's mint condition. This vessel is also from the Michael Waltz collection, and vessels of this size and type are seldom seen on the market and are extremely rare. One other large scale analogous example was offered by Royal Athena Galleries in New York, and is seen in "One Thousand Years of Ancient Greek Vases II", Sept. 2010, no. 137. ( This Royal Athena example is approximately 10.9 inches high, is in superb to mint condition, is attributed to the Painter of Marburg 788, and is Ex Patricia Kluge collection. This piece is also listed for $17,500.00.) The piece offered here has a high degree of eye appeal, not only because it can be seen from different angles due to it's spherical design, but also because of it's vibrant colors. Ex: Michael Waltz collection, circa 1970's. (Note: additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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