Description:

Ancient Mediterranean, central Italy, Etruria, ca. 7th to 5th century BCE. A gorgeous gold bead of a hollow, spherical form adorned with repousse decoration of scrolling tendrils and dotted motifs, all crafted from a thin sheet of over 20 karat gold leaf and strung on a modern sterling silver strand to be wearable. A slender twisted gold wire surrounds each of the 2 openings. The elusive Etruscans left behind a rich legacy of gold craftsmanship that was among the most advanced in the ancient Mediterranean world. While the techniques applied by Etruscan goldsmiths and jewelry-makers, as well as the iconographic motifs depicted on the jewelry, had much older, foreign origins, there remains no doubt of the great artistic strides and refinement achieved in the Mediterranean basin around 700 BCE onwards. Size of bead: 1" L x 1.1" W (2.5 cm x 2.8 cm); of strand: 18" L (45.7 cm); gold quality: 85% (over 20 karats); total weight: 5.8 grams

See a pair of Etruscan bullae with similar repousse decoration at the Walters Art Museum, accession number VO.67 (57.1950, 57.574).

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA

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.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#190569

  • Condition: Ancient gold bead strung on modern sterling silver strand to be wearable. Small perforation to side and stable hairline fissure down body, as well as some light indentations as shown. Otherwise, bead has a very nice presentation with good remaining repousse detail. Accompanied by modern jewelry box.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

SHIPPING LOGISTICS: As a courtesy to our clients worldwide, Artemis Gallery is happy to handle shipping for most lots sold, taking the hassle (and high cost!) out of having to arrange shipping on your own. Shipping costs will be added to your invoice at auction's end based on information given when you registered to bid - we strive to offer the most economical shipping costs to ensure safe transit. Our shippers of choice are DHL for International shipments and UPS for domestic shipments, but we are able to ship via other carriers at the buyer's expense as deemed necessary or by request.

For shipments of oversize items, Artemis Gallery will assist the buyer in working with a third-party shipping provider. For shipments outside of the USA, customs and duties may apply upon entry into said country, and this fee, if any, is the buyer's responsibility. If you have questions about this, please inquire BEFORE bidding.

Items will be shipped only upon receipt of payment in full and will be insured for their full value - no exceptions.

December 6, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$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 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000