Stunning Bactrian Quartz Bead Necklace
Ancient Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 2000 BCE. This is a massive and bold necklace strung with 35 rock crystal or quartz stones and 2 silver beads. Each bead is carved into faceted, spherical, barrel, and lozenge shapes that graduate from the top to the central pendant bead. This large bead is carved with a ribbed exterior flanked by two similarly ribbed spherical silver beads that add some nice symmetry to the piece. The rock crystal specimens are inherently beautiful with varying degrees of translucency. Some are smokey gray and opaque while others are so clear that one can see the biconically drilled perforations on the interior; the largest can even magnify text or images due to the curved profile! All are strung in modern times on a cord and is wearable. Size necklace doubled: 27.5" L (34.9 cm); largest bead: 2" L x 1.25" W (5.1 cm x 3.2 cm)
Quartz was a prized material due to its translucency and refractory properties, as exemplified by the large beads in this necklace. Pliny the Elder believed that quartz was fossilized ice, permanently frozen into stones, a belief that persisted into the 17th century!
Provenance: ex-private Southern California, USA collection, in the USA since 1997
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.
#167408
Condition Report: Chips and nicks to beads. Surface wear and stable hair line fissures on surface and interior. Scattered mineral deposits. Patina on silver beads. Strung in modern times on a modern cotton cord and wearable, but we do recommend restringing this piece with a metal wire or more secure cord.
View it on
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Ancient Central Asia, Bactria, ca. 2000 BCE. This is a massive and bold necklace strung with 35 rock crystal or quartz stones and 2 silver beads. Each bead is carved into faceted, spherical, barrel, and lozenge shapes that graduate from the top to the central pendant bead. This large bead is carved with a ribbed exterior flanked by two similarly ribbed spherical silver beads that add some nice symmetry to the piece. The rock crystal specimens are inherently beautiful with varying degrees of translucency. Some are smokey gray and opaque while others are so clear that one can see the biconically drilled perforations on the interior; the largest can even magnify text or images due to the curved profile! All are strung in modern times on a cord and is wearable. Size necklace doubled: 27.5" L (34.9 cm); largest bead: 2" L x 1.25" W (5.1 cm x 3.2 cm)
Quartz was a prized material due to its translucency and refractory properties, as exemplified by the large beads in this necklace. Pliny the Elder believed that quartz was fossilized ice, permanently frozen into stones, a belief that persisted into the 17th century!
Provenance: ex-private Southern California, USA collection, in the USA since 1997
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.
#167408
Condition Report: Chips and nicks to beads. Surface wear and stable hair line fissures on surface and interior. Scattered mineral deposits. Patina on silver beads. Strung in modern times on a modern cotton cord and wearable, but we do recommend restringing this piece with a metal wire or more secure cord.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
