Greek Hellenistic Gold Earrings w/ Erotes ex-Christie's
Ancient Greece, Hellenistic, ca. late 4th to 3rd century BCE. One of the most superb works of luxury art from ancient Greece, a very rare pair of matching 75% gold (equivalent to 18K) earrings, each one comprised of a pan-shaped disk that houses an attractive rosette with petals delineated in plain wire, the upturned edges of the disk trimmed with a beaded border. Suspended from this is a solid-cast figure of Eros, the god of love, depicted with an advanced right leg, separately cast wings, and holding a large torch in both hands across his body. Eros is characteristically nude save the billowing, separately cast mantle strewn across his chest and down either side of his body. All is suspended from a hooked wire on the verso of the floral disk. A beautiful pair of earrings - luxurious tokens of love during ancient times that still resonate with us - making our hearts sing today! Size of each: 1.125" H (2.9 cm); 1.625" H (4.1 cm) including hooked wires; quality of gold: 75% (equivalent to 18K); total weight: 4.2 grams
A similar pair of Greek gold earrings presenting Eros below a disk form sold for $25,000 at Christie's, New York "Ancient Jewelry" auction (sale 2375, December 9, 2010, lot 359)
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 30.116.1.2
Cf. no. 1888 in Marshall, Catalogue of the Jewellery, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman, in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum.
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired 2013; ex-Christie's, New York "Ancient Jewelry" auction (sale 2771, December 13, 2013, lot 251); ex-Joseph G. Gerena Fine Art, New York, USA, 1999
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#166747
Condition Report: Earrings are remarkably well-preserved save slight wear commensurate with age. It is possible that a pearl or stone was once set within the center of each flower. Ear wires are still somewhat flexible.
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Ancient Greece, Hellenistic, ca. late 4th to 3rd century BCE. One of the most superb works of luxury art from ancient Greece, a very rare pair of matching 75% gold (equivalent to 18K) earrings, each one comprised of a pan-shaped disk that houses an attractive rosette with petals delineated in plain wire, the upturned edges of the disk trimmed with a beaded border. Suspended from this is a solid-cast figure of Eros, the god of love, depicted with an advanced right leg, separately cast wings, and holding a large torch in both hands across his body. Eros is characteristically nude save the billowing, separately cast mantle strewn across his chest and down either side of his body. All is suspended from a hooked wire on the verso of the floral disk. A beautiful pair of earrings - luxurious tokens of love during ancient times that still resonate with us - making our hearts sing today! Size of each: 1.125" H (2.9 cm); 1.625" H (4.1 cm) including hooked wires; quality of gold: 75% (equivalent to 18K); total weight: 4.2 grams
A similar pair of Greek gold earrings presenting Eros below a disk form sold for $25,000 at Christie's, New York "Ancient Jewelry" auction (sale 2375, December 9, 2010, lot 359)
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 30.116.1.2
Cf. no. 1888 in Marshall, Catalogue of the Jewellery, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman, in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum.
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired 2013; ex-Christie's, New York "Ancient Jewelry" auction (sale 2771, December 13, 2013, lot 251); ex-Joseph G. Gerena Fine Art, New York, USA, 1999
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#166747
Condition Report: Earrings are remarkably well-preserved save slight wear commensurate with age. It is possible that a pearl or stone was once set within the center of each flower. Ear wires are still somewhat flexible.
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