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Nomos 2

18 May 2010
Widder Hotel, Zürich
overview
Estimate: 2500 CHF
Hammer Price:  2000 CHF
Lot 10

GAUL, Massalia or an uncertain mint in the Provence. Circa 525/0-480/70 BC. Obol (Silver, 1.14 g). Head of a goddess to right, with long hair shown by dots, frontal almond-shaped eye and round earring. Rev. Irregular incuse square. Furtwängler Pl. 41, 11. G. E. Reynaud, Un trésor de monnaies Massaliètes du Ve siècle, RN 1983, p. 36, 4 = pl. VI, 4 (same obverse die). Very rare. A startlingly fine provincial archaic head, reminiscent of the issues of Knidos. Minor marks, but toned, and, extremely fine.


Reynaud published a photographic record of a then recent hoard of Massaliote material that appeared on the Paris market, which contained a few pieces very much like this one. To this was joined a short but very erudite commentary by Mme Nicolet, in which she makes a good case for identifying the head on the obverse as that of Aphrodite rather than Artemis, as suggested by Furtwängler (pp. 38-39); she is undoubtedly right.

Online bidding closes: 18 May 2010, 09:00:00 CEST Current Date & Time: 29 Mar 2024, 00:06:48 CET Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:2000 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 18 Mai 2010 at 9:00 CEST. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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