Two handles from a bowl, pot or goblet. The square section is hollow and convex in shape to make holding the vessel easier. Each handle terminates in a sphinx standing on its back legs, with its front paws outstretched. These would be the point where the handles were attached to the upper area of the vessel.
The sphinxes are identical apart from the fact that one head looks to the left and the other to the right, although not quite to the same degree. They are depicted according to the Greek social conception of this mythological creature. Each has the bust of a woman, the body and tail of a lion, great bird wings and a female human head. Each head is depicted wearing a diadem and with the hair swept up and held at the back of the head in a bun. The precision and detail of the working of the faces and wings is notable, giving a sense of movement and realism to the pair. One can appreciate a clear attempt to differentiate between the feathers of the wings: those inserted into the body itself are small and short, rather like scales, while those at the extreme end of the wings are long and narrow, to help the creature take flight.
According to ancient literary sources, the sphinx was a monster with the face and bust of a woman, the claws of a lion, the body of a dog, the tail of a snake and wings of a bird. This demon of divine origin, whose presence excited uncertainty and terror in humans, was also characterized by its pallid appearance, fiery look and venomous mouth. It’s possible that this hybrid had its origin in Egyptian iconography, where it was represented with a feline body and human face, possibly connected to the divine power of the pharaoh.
The sculptural prototype of Greek sphinxes appears around the 7th century BCE in terracotta and was usually found decorating large receptacles. A century later they appeared in marble crowning seated ex-votos on a column. The monstrous, aggressive nature of the hybrid was channelled into funerary art, serving as an apotropaic symbol to keep away malevolent forces. It was usual, therefore, to find this iconography in metopes and hollow acroteria in Greek necropoleis of the 6th century BCE, usually with the animal in profile and turning its head toward the public in an attitude of defiance.
Reference #
SI_GR_1034
Civilization Greek,
5th – 4th century B.C.E.
Size
H. 14 cm
Condition
Intact, Fine
Price
P.O.R.
Provenance
Private collection, Great Britain. Acquired before 1975
From the Achaemenid period, particularly between circa 800-500 BC, numerous luxury vessels and ritual objects such as wine bowls are depicted in reliefs and artifacts recovered from excavations. These portrayals suggest that artisans began by shaping the vessel from a solid mass of silver, using a combination of chasing, hammering, and possibly casting techniques. The process would have involved roughing out the basic form, which was likely then refined through meticulous hammering and filing to achieve a symmetrical and balanced shape.
The large wine bowl in question exhibits a broad, rounded profile with a wide opening, designed to facilitate the pouring and serving of wine during banquets or ceremonial occasions. Its surface is decorated with intricate engraved motifs, which may include geometric patterns, stylized florals, or mythological symbols, indicative of the sophisticated ornamentation favored by Achaemenid artisans. These engravings would have been executed with precise metal tools, emphasizing symmetry and aesthetic harmony.
This vessel was crafted from silver, a metal highly prized in Persian courtly culture for its brilliance and symbolic association with purity and wealth. The silvery sheen and fine workmanship would have signified the high status of its owner, most likely a noble or a member of the royal court. The rim of the bowl is reinforced and slightly everted, suggesting a functional consideration to prevent damage and facilitate handling.
The craftsmanship and fine detailing of this bowl reflect a high level of technological skill, characteristic of the Achaemenid metallurgists. Such a substantial vessel was probably used in prestigious contexts, including royal banquets or religious rituals, serving both a utilitarian and decorative purpose.
Suspended elegantly from an 18K gold necklace, this striking silver shekel coin features the visage of a distinguished figure crowned with an olive leaf, symbolizing peace and prosperity from ancient Tyre, a historic city in southern Lebanon. On the reverse side, an intricately detailed eagle, accompanied by ancient inscriptions, displays its sharp talons and delicate plumage, showcasing skilled craftsmanship and artistic finesse. The coin’s surface is polished to a brilliant finish, accentuating the bold, embossed designs that grace both sides.
Dating from 126 B.C.E. to 66 C.E., this pendant hails from a period when Tyre had reasserted its independence, even as neighboring provinces fell under Roman dominion. Its preservation is exquisite, retaining a beauty that transcends time, making it a wearable artifact that maintains its elegance and historical significance to this day.
Pink statuette of Sabaean idol with stylized representation for the eyes and nose set on an oval face. Rectangular body is marked by diagonal sash running along torso. Arms are folded at right angles from the shoulders, set above belted waist and smooth legs.
REFERENCE #
SI_SA_1015
CIVILIZATION
Sabaean, 3000 B.C.E. – 2000 B.C.E.
SIZE
H. 39 cm
CONDITION
Fine condition
PRICE
Sold
PROVENANCE
Former Swiss private collection, acquired ca. 1980.
Alabaster cup from the Israelite kingdom period, dating to the time of King David, circa 1200–800 BC. This vessel has been carefully fashioned from fine, translucent alabaster, which remains in perfect condition, emphasizing the skill of its ancient maker. The cup measures approximately 6 cm in height and features a simple, elegant form with a rounded bowl and a narrow, slightly flared lip.
The use of alabaster, a soft stone prized for its translucence and smooth finish, suggests the object was valued and possibly used in ceremonial contexts. Both the interior and exterior surfaces have been polished to a glossy, refined texture, with no visible signs of damage or deterioration. Its translucent quality would have enhanced its visual appeal when held in light, creating a delicate play of shadow and glow.
Discovered in the Judean hills, this cup is linked to the material culture of early Israelite society during the Iron Age. Its form and material imply it may have played a role in rituals or religious offerings typical of the period, serving both practical and symbolic functions within domestic or religious settings. Objects of this nature are rare, providing valuable insight into the craftsmanship and spiritual practices of the ancient Israelites during the era of King David.
CAROLINGIAN COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS, in Latin, two bifolia from a MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Italy, 9th century] 280 x 380mm. 4 leaves (2 bifolia), ruled in blind, preserving most of two columns per page, each with 27 lines written in Carolingian minuscule in brown ink, numerous initials in two sizes in red (recovered from a binding, and thus very worn on one side of each bifolium, and with significant losses on three sides). In an archival folder. Provenance: Sotheby’s, 19 June 1990, lot 1. Legible passages of text consist of short phrases of Psalm 67: verses 6, 9-14, 16-17, 19, 22, and 25, presented as short lemmata interspersed by passages of commentary. The eight pages appear to be textually consecutive and would therefore originally have been the central two bifolia of their gathering. THE COMMENTARY IS THUS FAR UNIDENTIFIED, AND PERHAPS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED. In the 9th century there were three main commentaries on the Psalms: Augustine’s Ennarationes in Psalmos, Cassiodorus’s Expositio Psalmorum, and Pseudo-Jerome’s Breviarium; the present fragment is none of these. Other much rarer ones were the Glossa ex traditionum seniorum, Bede’s Titulatio, and the commentary found in the Mondsee Psalter. See M. Gibson, ‘Carolingian Glossed Psalters’, in R. Gameson, ed., The Early Medieval Bible: Its Production, Decoration and Use, Cambridge, 1994, esp. pp.96
Three Leaves From A Decorated Manuscript On Vellum [Italy, Early Fourteenth Century]
3 leaves (a bifolium and a singleton), each 310mm. by 215mm., single column, 30 lines in black ink in a fine and professional university hand, capitals touched in red, paragraph marks alternately in red or blue, running titles in red “L[iber]” and “Phy[sica]” at head of each leaf, some early erasures and corrections, small flaws in vellum and occasional stains, else in fine condition.
Reference #
MS_BZ_1011
Civilization
Byzantine, Medieval, 1400 C.E.
Size
H. 31 cm x W. 21.5 cm
Condition
Some early erasures and corrections, small flaws in vellum and occasional stains, else in fine condition.
Price
Price available upon request
Provenance
Baidun Collection, acquired at Sotheby’s sale December 2013
