Specialties
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Beautiful Vibrant Greek Apulian Plate
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1120850
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$3,265.00
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This beautiful piece is a Greek Apulian plate that dates circa 340-315 B.C. This piece is approximately 9.5 inches in diameter, by 2.25 inches high, and has a raised footed ring base. This piece has very vibrant painting which is all original, and the painted line design is complete, which is scarce for a piece of this type, as most examples are missing sections of line design and/or has lost detail due to faded or worn paint. This piece has no over paint, although there is some very limited repair with two small pie shaped shards that are tight fitting. The limited repair is therefore very difficult to see, and overall, this piece is much better than most examples because of its vibrant paint. The artisitc style of this piece is as fine as the vibrant painting, which has detailed white and yellow highlights, and the young female "lady of fashion" has a very pleasing young and beautiful face. This young "lady of fashion" is often seen on Greek Apulian ceramics, and may represent the Greek goddess Persephone, who was queen of the underworld, and presided over the "change of seasons" and "birth and rebirth". She is seen wearing a complex hair net known as a "sakkos", which is decorated with black and white line design. This beautiful piece is attributed to the Stroke-on-Trent Painter, and there is an ivy leaf and two "three-dotted" patterns before, and a fan behind her bust which are all symbols of this painter. Another analogous example is seen in the "Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily" by A.D. Trendall, Thames and Hudson Pub., London, 1989, pl. 254, no. 1. (See attached photo.) This piece also stands on a custom clear plexiglas plate stand. Ex: Private German collection, circa 1980's. Ex: Jurgen Haering Gallery, Freiburg, Germany. Exhibited: BAAF Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland 1999. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Ottoman Silver Floral Hairpin: c. late 16th Century
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
European Medieval:
Pre 1700 item# 800497
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$565.00
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This complete piece is an attractive silver hairpin that dates circa late 16th Century ( circa 1560-1590 A.D.). This piece is Ottoman Empire and was likely made in Constantinople, otherwise known as Byzantium. The Byzantine Empire derived it's name from this city, and the floral pattern seen at the terminal end of this piece, is a design pattern that is a Byzantine type as well. The Ottomans adopted this pattern, and is often seen on Ottoman polychrome Iznik tiles from the 16th Century. This piece was worn in the hair and has a loop at the top so that it tied to the body. This piece can easily be worn today in the hair or garmet. This piece is approximately 5.7 inches long, 17.5 grams, and is about 97% pure silver. Interestingly, the weight of this piece is also analogous to the ancient Greek "Attic-Greco Weight Standard" of 17.5 grams for a silver tetradrachm. This piece has some minor wear seen at the top that indicates long use, and this piece can be worn today. A custom stand is included and the piece can easily be removed. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mixtec Greenstone Penate Figurine
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Antiques:
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Americas:
Pre Columbian:
Stone:
Pre 1492 item# 924059
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
Sold
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This nice piece is a carved greenstone "penate", i.e. "pendant", figurine that is approximately 3.25 inches high. This piece is a larger example, with a higher quality green colored stone, than what is usually seen. This attractive piece is Mixtec, dates circa 1100-1500 A.D., and was worn as a protective amulet. This piece has a bow-drilled hole at the top back side, which allowed this piece to be worn and suspended in an upward position. The body of this piece has a flat backside and is carved with a bi-facial front side. The eyes are bow-drilled and there are string cuts that define the head, torso, and legs. This greenstone piece has a nice patina that has dark black spots and light brown deposits. This piece has also been authenticated by Mr. Robert Sonin in New York. This piece hangs on a custom stand, can quickly be removed, and can easily be worn today on a leather cord. Ex: Arte Primitivo, New York. Ex: Renee Neu collection, New York. (Note: Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Rare Greek Apulian Chous with Theatrical Mask
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 987545
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$3,265.00
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This rare piece is a Greek Apulian Chous that shows a theatrical mask, which is seen in profile facing right, and dates circa 380-350 B.C. This piece is approximately 4.5 inches high, and is in superb to mint condition with no repair/restoration or overpaint. This rare piece also has very vibrant colors, which are a glossy black, light red, and white. There are also some heavy white calcite deposits seen within the vessel, on the edge of the trefoil mouth, and on the bottom base ring. The detailed theatrical mask is seen within a light red frame which has a floral design at the bottom, and there are several attractive white dot highlights seen within this light red frame as well. The theatrical mask depicted on this piece is a type used by a character in a Greek comedy play known as a "phylax play", and this type of mask was designed with bushy black hair, short black beard, open mouth, and copious facial wrinkles. This type of mask was defined by Trendall as "Type B", and was likely produced by the Truro Painter, circa 380-350 B.C., on Greek Apulian chous vessels of this type. Trendall also stated that the heads of the Truro Painter "often wear white head-bands", and the detailed theatrical mask seen on the piece offered here also has a very prominent white head-band. (See A.D. Trendall, "Phlyax Vases", Second Edition, BICS Supplement 20, 1967. Another vessel of this type is seen in the Virginia Museum in Richmond, Virginia, no. 81.53.) The theatrical mask seen on the vessel offered here, and the vessel noted above, are both designed as a singular depiction, and as such, is seldom seen on Greek Apulian vessels. In addition, the mask seen here is a sharp detailed example and is rarely seen. An analogous Apulian chous of this type was offered in Christie's Antiquities, New York, June 2008, no.195. (Approximately 7.5 inches high, $5,000.00-$7,000.00 estimates, $12,500.00 realized.) Ex: Donna Jacobs Gallery, Birmingham, Michigan. Ex: Robert Novak collection, St. Louis, MO. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Superb Alexander the Great Silver Drachm
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1113374
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$675.00
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This superb little gem is a Greek silver drachm that was minted shortly after the death of Alexander the Great in Babylon, circa 323 B.C. This coin is in superb to mint state in condition, weighs approximately 4.2 gms, and is perfectly centered on both sides. The obverse shows a portrait of Alexander the Great, facing right, wearing a lion's skin headdress within a dotted border. The reverse shows a seated Zeus, facing left, and is seen holding an eagle on his extended right arm. The name PHILIP is seen behind, and Philip III Arrhidaeus, half brother of Alexander was to share the throne with Alexander IV, the infant son of the late king. The real power still lay behind the generals-Perdikkas, Antigonos, Lysimachos, Seleukos, Ptolemy and others-who were all biding their time for power. The coin seen here likely was minted by Antigonos, who had control of Alexander's Asian posessions shortly after his death. Alexander is also seen as a god on the obverse of this coin, as the face has pronounced upturned eyes which signify Alexander as a deified god. This coin is a superb example for the type, and the artistic style of the obverse portrait of Alexander is very fine. Sear no.6750. Ex: Harlan J. Berk, Chicago, Ill. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Rare Mayan Poison Bottle with God K and God L
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Americas:
Pre Columbian:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1107318
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$3,275.00
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This rare Mayan ceramic is a small bottle known as a "poison bottle". This piece dates circa 600-900 A.D., and is approximately 3.9 inches high by 1.75 inches wide. This exceptional piece is larger than most examples, and is intact, with no repair and/or restoration. This piece was used by the Maya as a container that was used to contain precious contents such as red cinnabar, which was the most common product that this type of vessel contained. Red cinnabar was widely traded in the ancient Mayan world, and was used in religious Mayan ceremonies, tombs, ceramics, and jewelry. Red cinnabar is a known preservative of organic matter, which made red cinnabar sacred to the Maya due to it's preservation properties, and this was important relative to the Mayan concept of eternal life. Red cinnaber is extremely toxic in concentrated quantities, as it is mercury based (HgS), and this is why this type of vessel is known as a "poison bottle". This piece also has no noticable traces of red cinnabar on the inside surfaces. This superb vessel has a mold pressed scene of the Mayan gods K and L facing one another, and each rounded side of this vessel has a mold pressed double-banded Mayan glyph band. The double-banded Mayan glyph bands, seen on each rounded side of this vessel, are identical, as they were mold pressed from the same molds. The mold pressed scene of both Mayan gods, seen on both flat Sides A and B, is identical as well. Side A is slightly more clearer than Side B, as the same mold was used to press each side; and this mold filled with some loose material from pressing Side A, which subsequently produced an image on Side B that was not as sharp. This is the case with most of these Mayan molded bottles, and this slight loss of detail is also an excellent mark of authenticity. God K, seen standing to the left facing God L, has a snake foot seen behind, and a smoking scroll that is seen emerging from his forehead. God K is a major Mayan deity, who personified royal power and was a protector of royal lineages. God L, seen standing on the right facing God K, has a wide-brimmed hat with a Moan bird, and a jaguar-hide cloak with indented spots. God L is also one of the principle Mayan gods that presided over the underworld. This scene with both "standing gods" is rare, compared to the numerous examples of "poison bottles" of this type that show both gods seated. (See attached photo showing an example of the "seated gods" type. The "seated gods" example seen here is a drawing of a "poison bottle" that is seen in "The Smoking Gods", by Francis Robicsek, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, p.187, Figure 210.) The intact piece offered here, has several minute dark black deposits, and there is some attractive dark brown kiln burnishing seen on the upper opening, Side B, and on the bottom surfaces. This burnishing was primarily a result from not enough heat/oxygen in the kiln when the piece was fired, and kiln burnishing is very common relative to Mayan light brown/tan ceramics of this type. This piece is a rare type, as it is a very large example, and is a "standing gods" type that is seldom seen on the market. In addition, this piece has a double-banded glyph band on each side, and usually, one sees the single glyph band on each side, or no glyph band at all. Ex: Lands Beyond Gallery, New York. (Circa 1980's, inventory no. DW475.) Ex: Private Arizona collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Lively and Rare Roman Silver Griffin Vessel Leg
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Antiques:
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Ancient World:
Roman:
Pre AD 1000 item# 886914
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2875.00
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This rare and lively piece is a cast Roman silver vessel leg in the form of a griffin. This exceptional piece dates circa 4th century A.D. and is approximately 3.4 inches high. This piece was cast via the "lost wax" technique, and as such, this piece is an individual work of art and is a solid heavy piece. The griffin was a composite mythical creature that was typically having a head, forepart, and wings like those of an eagle, and a body, hind legs, and tail like those of a lion. This piece has a lion's paw base, and the head and wings of an eagle. The wings served as an attachment support to a vessel that may have been made of bronze, as there are bronze deposits seen on the back side of each wing. This bronze vessel may have been supported by two additional silver griffin legs that would have formed a tripod base, but more likely, this bronze vessel may have been a square box, as the support wings seen at the back of this silver piece are set at a forty-five degree angle, and a silver griffin leg would have supported each corner of a square box. The griffin for the Hellenistic Greeks, was a creature that symbolized the destroying power of the gods, and for the Romans, the griffin came to symbolize a protective diety. In Roman art, the griffin was often applied in the decoration of friezes, and one of the finest was at the temple of Antoninus and Faustina in Rome. The use of a griffin, regarding the piece offered here, was probably regarded by the prior Roman owner as a protective type motif, and this vessel was a very valuable one, as the individual griffin support legs were made of silver, and other elements of this vessel could have been made of silver as well. An anlogous designed Roman griffin seen in the form of a bronze lamp handle is illustrated in "Die Welt Von Byzanz-Europas ostliches Erbe", by Herausgegeben von Ludwig Wamser, Theiss Pub., 2001, no. 340. The rare silver piece offered here is an exceptional example of late Roman art, as the face of the griffin has a very lively expression and this serves this piece well as a "protector" type piece. This piece has a dark to light grey patina, along with spotty bronze and minute dark black mineral deposits. This piece is mounted on a custom black plexiglas stand. Ex: Private Austria collection (1980's). Ex: Private German collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Rare Archaic Greek Marble Griffin Table Leg
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Greek:
Sculpture:
Pre AD 1000 item# 599951
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$6875.00
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This extremely rare Greek marble dates from the 6th-4th century B.C., and is the upper torso of a griffin. This esoteric piece was part of a table leg known as a "trapezophoros" that supported a table top with several other identical legs. The "trapezophoros" types are usually designed with panther or lion heads, and the rarest type is the griffon type, and only a handful of these examples are known. This piece has a bird-like mouth and tongue, with cat-like short ears and eyes, and eagle feathers seen on each side of the neck. For the Greeks, the griffin symbolized the destroying power of the gods, and during the 5th-4th century B.C., it came to represent an anti-Persian symbol. A limited number of Greek gold staters, minted by Alexander the Great in Asia, had this symbol on the Corinthian helmet of Athena, which was seen on the obverse of this coinage. This symbol was also prevalent on Greek armour at the battle of Gaugamela in September 331 B.C., where Alexander the Great finally smashed the Persian army by decimating over 165,000 Persians, and this battle forever defined the ultimate confrontation between the East and the West. In ancient Greek art, the griffin was also applied in the decoration of friezes, and the Romans followed this tradition, with one of the finest examples seen at the temple of Antoninus and Faustina in Rome. This piece is approximately 14.5 inches high, and on the custom wooden stand it is 17.5 inches high. This solid piece is quite heavy, and it rotates on the stand as well, allowing one to easily display this piece at different angles. This piece has some chips to the mouth area and to the right ear, otherwise the bust of the griffin is nearly complete. This esoteric piece has a nice light brown patina and it is a very decorative piece. The griffin is seen with an open mouth and it exudes a lively look. An extremely rare early Greek piece with a great deal of symbolism. Ex: F. Hirsch collection, Germany. Ex: Private German collection. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Olmecoid Standing Polychrome Mother Goddess
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Antiques:
Regional Art:
Americas:
Pre Columbian:
Pottery:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1022403
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1,365.00
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This interesting piece is an Olmecoid standing figurine that dates circa 600-300 B.C. This piece is approximately 6 inches high, is a light tan clay, and has a thin light tan to clear polychrome glaze. This piece is intact, and has a solid body and a mold made hollow head, which was attached in antiquity. This figure is seen with both arms at the side, and the hands are positioned at the front holding a paunchy stomach, which indicates that this piece is a fertility and/or mother goddess. In addition, the lower torso is "pear" shaped and has wide hips. This piece also has many classic Olmec artistic style features such as the jaguar-like ears, eyes, and mouth. These features are a combination of human and animal, which are classified as "transformation art", which is a principle stylistic hallmark of Olmec art from central Mexico. This type of Middle Preclassic period fertility figurine has been found in Izapa (Mexico), Kaminaljuyu (Guatemala), and Chalchuapa (El Salvador); and has also been classified as the "Mamom" artistic style, which was produced by a "pre-Mayan" and/or Mayan culture. (For the "Mamom" artistic style, see "Maya, Treasures of an Ancient Civilization", Harry Abrams, Inc. Pub., New York, 1985, pp. 74-75.) This piece is scarce in this intact condition, as most pieces of this type are found broken, and is a much better example than what is normally seen on the market. This piece can also stand by itself. This piece comes with a custom stand, and can easily be removed. Ex: Julio Atalah collection, circa 1940-1967. Ex: Danny Hall collection, Houston, TX., circa 1967-2005. Ex: Saida Cebero collection, Sugarland, TX., circa 2005-2009. Ex: Private Florida collection. I certify that this pice is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint Roman Glass Bottle with Flat Rim
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 583883
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2875.00
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This mint quality Roman glass bottle dates circa 1st-2nd century A.D., and is approximately 6.3 inches high by 5.3 inches in diameter. This attractive piece has an extended flat and thin upper rim which is intact, and as such, is a rare example for the type, as most Roman glass vessels of this type have a cracked and/or broken upper rim. This vessel also has an exceptional multi-colored patina, and is much better than most examples of this type. This vessel is also a light blue-green color, and it has light brown and white calcite deposits that are seen both on the inside and outside surfaces. (See "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum" no. 146, p.58, for an analogous example.) The piece offered here is seldom seen on the market in this quality. Ex: private New York collection. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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