Description:

Ancient Near East, Achaemenid Persian Empire, ca. 500 to 330 BCE. A beautiful silver boss with a repousse stylized lion's face on its surface. The face is fierce, with two sharp lower teeth carefully depicted, large eyes, a scowling face with a small snout, and a radiating mane. The lion's head is set within a series of concentric rims that form the border of the boss. The Achaemenid love of silver and gold was famous throughout the ancient world. Plato wrote of how the acquisition of gold and silver was considered a virtue while Alcibiades, another Athenian, wrote of the enormous wealth in gold and silver that the Persians had. A boss like this would have been applied decoratively. Size: 3.45" W (8.8 cm); 5.95" H (15.1 cm) on included custom stand; 27.1 grams

Provenance: private California, USA collection

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#135140

  • Condition: Tiny pinhole below one cheek and a small tear on one edge; otherwise in great condition. Slight bending to form around the edges, but in general the form is well preserved. Dark patina on surface.

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August 2, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000