Loading Spinner
Don’t miss out on items like this!

Sign up to get notified when similar items are available.

Lot 25A: Attic Black-Figure Tripod Pyxis, Ex Christie's

Est: $8,000 USD - $12,000 USDPassed
Artemis GalleryLouisville, CO, USSeptember 26, 2019

Item Overview

Description

Ancient Greece, Athens, ca. mid 6th century BCE. A very special ceramic pyxis, its bowl-shaped receptacle upraised and supported by three slab-built legs with each face presenting a figural scene created via the black-figure technique - one featuring a pair of roosters facing one another, another with a sphinx comprised of the body of a lion, head of a woman, eagle wings, and according to some scholars a serpent's tail, and the third with a standing human behind a horse with a bird in flight behind the pair. Above these and encircling the rim of the vessel is a decorative dotted and incised frieze. Size: 5.5" W x 3.25" H (14 cm x 8.3 cm)

The iconography of this piece is very rich. According to legend, the gods sent the Sphinx to plague the town of Thebes as punishment for an ancient crime. This female monster preyed on its youths and devoured anyone who could not solve her riddle. King Kreon (Creon), the regent of Thebes, offered the throne to whomever could destroy her. Oedipus (Oidipous) rose to the challenge, and when he solved the Sphinx's riddle, she dramatically cast herself off the mountainside. Sphinxes were quite popular in ancient art - featured on grave stelae above the tombs of men who died in youth. When found adorning archaic vase paintings, they sometimes are included in a procession of animals and fabulous hybrid creatures such as bird-bodied sirens. Roosters were very popular in Greek visual culture as well. According to mythology, a rooster was standing beside Leto, who was pregnant by Zeus, at the moment she gave birth to Apollo and Artemis. By extension, the rooster is dedicated to solar gods and lunar goddesses. In addition, the rooster is an attribute of Apollo. The ancients would also ritually sacrifice a rooster to Asclepios, son of Apollo and god of medicine, because the rooster heralded the soul of the dead and guided it to the Otherworld. Asclepios by extension is also the god who, using his healing powers, brought the deceased back to life on earth.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; Antiquities, Christie’s, London, 2 July 1982, lot 218

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#149771

Artist or Maker

Condition Report

Two feet reattached. Chips to rim and peripheries of feet. Normal surface wear with nicks and abraded areas commensurate with age, but imagery on exterior is still nicely defined. Earthen encrustation on interior.

Payment & Shipping

Payment

Accepted forms of payment: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Auction Details

Exceptional Day 1: Antiquities & Asian Art

by
Artemis Gallery
September 26, 2019, 08:00 AM MST

686 S. Taylor Ave., #108, Louisville, CO, 80027, US

Terms

Buyer's Premium

24.5%

Bidding Increments

From:To:Increment:
$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

Antiquities, Pre-Columbian & Tribal Art

Please read the following "Terms of Sale" carefully. These terms are applicable to all bidders in this auction, collectors and dealers alike.

1. All items in this auction have been legally acquired, are legal to sell, and guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

2. By bidding in this auction, the bidder personally guarantees payment. The auctioneer has final discretion in all matters. In case of dispute, the lot(s) in question may be resold. Lots will be sold in their numerical sequence unless the auctioneer directs otherwise.

3. HIGH and LOW ESTIMATES are provided for each lot for reference only. All lots will be offered without any hidden / confidential reserve, meaning the highest bidder wins.

4. No lots will be released / shipped until payment has been made in full. Payment (in U.S. funds) may be made via personal check or money order, via credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, AMEX), PayPal or Bank Wire Transfer. For PayPal payments please use "artemisgallery@gmail.com" email address for processing payments.

5. BUYER'S PREMIUM: A 24.5% Buyer's Premium will be added to the final price of each lot purchased through Artemis Gallery and will be paid by all bidders without exception.

6. CO SALES TAX: Appropriate Colorado Sales Tax will be added to all invoices, unless a valid CO seller's permit is on file with Artemis Gallery/Artemis Gallery Live prior to any bidding in the auction. Items shipped outside of CO (United States or international) are also sales tax exempt.

7. RETURN POLICY: In the event of an authenticity dispute, written notification of the dispute must be provided to Artemis Gallery within two business days from receipt of the item as shown by FedEx, UPS, or USPS tracking data. After Artemis Gallery is notified of the dispute, a written letter from a recognized expert in the field pertaining to the item in dispute must then be presented. If Artemis Gallery concludes that the assessment of the piece is accurate, a full refund, including item price, buyer's premium (if applicable), and shipping costs will be provided. Artemis Gallery will either provide a pre-paid return shipping label or will reimburse the return shipping charge. Artemis Gallery will only remit refund after the item has been returned.

In the event of an error in item description, condition report, provenance, or dimensions, written notification of the error must be given within two business days from receipt of the item as shown by FedEx, UPS, or USPS tracking data. A full refund, including item price, buyer's premium (if applicable), and shipping costs will be provided. Artemis Gallery will either provide a pre-paid return shipping label or will reimburse the return shipping charge. Artemis Gallery will only remit refund after the item has been returned.

If a return is requested for any reason other than the above, written notification with reason for return must be given within 15 days from receipt of the item as shown by FedEx, UPS, or USPS tracking data for Artemis Gallery to issue a refund to the original payment method. If notification is given after 15 days, the item may be returned for credit toward a future purchase or may be consigned for sale through Artemis Gallery. The item must be returned to Artemis Gallery at the buyer's expense and a refund or credit of the item price and buyer's premium (if applicable) will be provided after the item is returned. Original shipping charges will not be refunded.

All items to be returned must be adequately insured and must be received by Artemis Gallery in the same condition as when shipped. In no event may any item be returned after 90 days from the date of delivery.

8. SHIPPING: As a convenience to our buyers, shipping is handled in-house. All buyers will receive an invoice detailing their purchases, sales tax (if applicable), buyer's premium, and shipping/insurance charges. Items will be shipped only upon receipt of payment in full and will be insured for their full value.

**For shipments outside of the USA, customs and duties may apply upon entry into said country; this fee, if any, is the buyer's responsibility. Also, please be aware that Artemis Gallery will NOT falsify customs value on any international shipments - what you pay is what we declare, no exceptions. There are a small number of international countries we cannot ship to. If you have questions about this, please inquire BEFORE bidding**

9. REQUEST TO DELAY SHIPPING FOR LOTS WON: We are happy to delay shipping on all paid lots for up to 30 days with no storage fees. After 30 days, storage fees will accrue based on a 2% of invoice total.

10. In the event a successful bidder fails to make payment when due, Artemis Gallery reserves the right to re-sell the merchandise and bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable cost of such a sale and to pay any difference between the resale price and the previously successful bid, together with any incidental costs of sale and disbursements.

11. If the auction invoice is not paid for in full when due per invoice terms, including any applicable credit card processing fees, the unpaid balance will bear interest at the highest rate permitted by law until paid in full. If the matter is referred to an attorney for collection, bidder agrees to pay all reasonable attorney fees, court costs and other collection cost incurred by Artemis Gallery to collect past due invoices and that the services of process by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, shall be sufficient to confer "in personam" jurisdiction over bidder.

12. Buyer agrees that any claim of controversy arising out of, or relating to the formation, interpretation of performance of these terms and underlying transactions or the breach thereof, is subject to arbitration or judicial proceedings and shall take place within the County of Boulder, CO subject to the laws of the State of Colorado.

13. QUESTIONS? Feel free to email us at info@artemisgallery.com with questions prior to bidding or feel free to call us at 720-890-7700. Please be sure to ask all questions at least 30 minutes prior to auction start time, as we will not be able to take calls or answer emails sent to us during the auction.

Shipping Terms

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense