Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Western Europe, Neoclassical period, ca. 19th century CE. A beautiful carnelian intaglio featuring a griffin - a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle - striding left. The griffin was a fierce symbol of divine strength. The tradition was long lasting - we know of examples from ancient Iran and Egypt that are from ca. 3000 BCE - and the animal continued to appear in classically-inspired art into the early modern period as symbols of power and protection. According to Graeco-Roman mythology, griffins lived in the Riphaean Mountains of Scythia and guarded rich gold deposits. Size of intaglio: 1" L x 0.75" W (2.5 cm x 1.9 cm); of Riker case: 3" L x 2.5" W x 0.5" H (7.6 cm x 6.4 cm x 1.3 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Pasadena, California, USA collection

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#180884

  • Condition: Intact and excellent with great preservation of detail. Easily set into a pendant or ring to be wearable. Accompanied by a modern Riker case.

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August 18, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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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