Lot 324
324
A PAIR OF HELLENISTIC GOLD AND AMBER NEGRO-HEAD EARRINGS, comprising an amber negro's head set within a close-fitting granulated gold hair 'casing' and a filigree tongued collar, terminating in a tapering plaited wire hoop, the whole set on attached gold wire, one head missing, 3rd-2nd Century B.C.; ¾in. (1.8cm.); and a pair of Hellenistic gold ibex-headed earrings, with long twisted wire horns curved back, the eyes recessed perhaps originally for enamel, with tongued collar, the hoop with spirally wound wire, the terminal hooked into a loop attached below the ibex's jaw, 3rd Century B.C., 5/8in. (1.7cm.) long (4)

Details
A PAIR OF HELLENISTIC GOLD AND AMBER NEGRO-HEAD EARRINGS, comprising an amber negro's head set within a close-fitting granulated gold hair 'casing' and a filigree tongued collar, terminating in a tapering plaited wire hoop, the whole set on attached gold wire, one head missing, 3rd-2nd Century B.C.; ¾in. (1.8cm.); and a pair of Hellenistic gold ibex-headed earrings, with long twisted wire horns curved back, the eyes recessed perhaps originally for enamel, with tongued collar, the hoop with spirally wound wire, the terminal hooked into a loop attached below the ibex's jaw, 3rd Century B.C., 5/8in. (1.7cm.) long (4)

Lot Essay

Item one: the type is best known from Southern Italy but also recorded from Yugoslavia, Northern Greece, etc. Stone, glass and amber heads are recorded. For the type, cf. de Juliis, nos. 130 and 131. For an example with amber head, cf. Cristofani and Martelli, no. 256

Item two: a well-known Hellenistic type recorded from Egypt, Cyprus and elsewhere

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