Lot Essay
For an earring of similar construction, perhaps from the same workshop, see no. 96 in Reeder, Scythian Gold, Treasures from the Ancient Ukraine.
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CIRCA 4TH CENTURY B.C.
Details
A PAIR OF GREEK GOLD SPHINX EARRINGS
Circa 4th Century B.C.
Each seated on plinth, the sides ornamented with filigree tongues of twisted wire, framed with a beaded wire below and a plain and beaded wire above, the sphinx's raised sickle-shaped wings with detailed chased feathers, wearing a twisted wire necklace, circular earrings of twisted wire, and a broad diadem in her striated hair, the diadem with a beaded wire base, ornamented with a filigree twisted wire palmette flanked by tendrils and punctuated by granules, her wavy tail of plain wire curves up and then back, the pointed tip beaded, the arching earwire joined to the back of her head and ornamented on the front with a three-tiered palmette of sheet with twisted wire fringes
17/8 in. (4.8 cm) high (2)
Circa 4th Century B.C.
Each seated on plinth, the sides ornamented with filigree tongues of twisted wire, framed with a beaded wire below and a plain and beaded wire above, the sphinx's raised sickle-shaped wings with detailed chased feathers, wearing a twisted wire necklace, circular earrings of twisted wire, and a broad diadem in her striated hair, the diadem with a beaded wire base, ornamented with a filigree twisted wire palmette flanked by tendrils and punctuated by granules, her wavy tail of plain wire curves up and then back, the pointed tip beaded, the arching earwire joined to the back of her head and ornamented on the front with a three-tiered palmette of sheet with twisted wire fringes
17/8 in. (4.8 cm) high (2)