Byzantine Silver Devotional Spoon, Cross- Art Loss Cert

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Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 13, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-02-13 10:00:00 2020-02-13 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-4848
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• Lot Description
  Near East / Holy Land, Byzantine Empire, ca. 5th to 6th century CE. An elegant spoon that would most likely have formed part of a treasure, perhaps with other items. It features an oval bowl incised with a cross and a circular drop. At the point where it abuts, the stem is hexagonal, thereafter circular, broadening gently to terminate in a spherical nodule. Stylistically, it compares with some of the later early Byzantine spoons known from prominent collections which formed part of larger church treasures. Churches were essentially treasure houses in this period with a great deal of wealth deposited in churches from the age of Constantine onwards; in this sense, they represented the banks of their day. The successful reign of Constantine was essentially bankrolled by the confiscation of pagan gold and silver and this was later deposited in churches across the Roman empire. Size: 1.65" W x 8.75" H (4.2 cm x 22.2 cm); 9.7" H (24.6 cm) on included custom stand; silver is 95% pure; total weight is 42 grams
  
  Aside from imperial donations of this kind, in the early Byzantine period, the most common sources of benefaction were the so-called subscription donors. These were individuals, often of quite modest wealth, who contributed in a relatively small way towards the construction or upkeep of a church, or its decoration, or presented it with individual items, produce or property. Perhaps the best-known example of this phenomenon is depicted on a floor mosaic in a church at Kissufim in Israel. This shows two females, one offering coins, the other a small vessel. The present spoon would have certainly been part of a gift to a church in the early Byzantine empire. Its high quality indicates that it would have been offered by a subscription donor of a somewhat higher social standing than those benefactors depicted on the mosaic mentioned above.
  
  Accompanied by digital Art Loss Register Certificate, reference number S00106627
  
  Some of the best-known parallels are several spoons from the celebrated Kaper Koraon and associated treasures in the collection of the Walter’s Art Gallery in Baltimore. Four of these form part of the Hama Treasure (Inv. 57.651, 57.649, 57.647, 57.648, sixth to seventh centuries AD); and eight of these, of a similar date range comprise the Antioch Treasure (Inv. 37.35, 37.36, 37.37, 37.38).
  
  Provenance: private Connecticut, USA collection; ex-private UK collection, acquired between the 1970s and 2015
  
  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.
  
  #152761

  Condition

  Very slight bending to handle but overall in beautiful condition with rich patina.
• Shipping Info

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