A PAIR OF GREEK GOLD BRACELETS

HELLENISTIC PERIOD, CIRCA LATE 4TH-EARLY 3RD CENTURY B.C.

Details

A PAIR OF GREEK GOLD BRACELETS
HELLENISTIC PERIOD, CIRCA LATE 4TH-EARLY 3RD CENTURY B.C.
Each formed from a hollow hoop overlapping at the ends, the inner surface flat from which rise long tongues, each with a single punched dot at the tip, the zone above dotted, a thin band of bead-and-reel above, the outer surface of the hoop unembellished but for each end where plain convex bands alternate with twin hatched bands, each terminal in the form of a lion head fashioned from sheet, with some details stippled, the lolling tongues and fangs inserted, the eyes detailed in blue enamel in circular frames, the cylindrical collars with bands of twisted wire tongues edged with beaded wire, each terminal joined to the hoop by a pin with a beaded loop and flattened ends
Each: 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) diameter (2)

Provenance

with NFA, Los Angeles, 1973.
Florida Private Collection.

Lot Essay

For the style of the lions, with similar enamel eyes, see the pair of earrings now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the gold chain necklace from Capua now in the British Museum, nos. 148 and 149 in Williams and Ogden, Greek Gold, Jewellery of the Classical World. Jewelry with lion-head terminals was popular throughout the Greek world, but was a predilection of Tarentine and other South Italian jewelers.

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