Ancient Greek Carnelian Intaglio, with coiled Snake
12
days
08
hours
54
minutes
03
seconds
Current bid
€ 55
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 1,500 - € 1,800
21 other people are watching this object
 Bidder 4423 | €55 | |
|---|---|---|
 Bidder 0083 | €50 |
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Ancient Greek carnelian intaglio showing a coiled snake facing left with its head raised, ca. 450–425 BC, in good condition, dimensions about 21.3 × 17.4 mm and polished red‑orange carnelian.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
A superb ancient Greek carnelian intaglio showing a coiled snake facing left and raising its head, a dotted lined border around. Texture of the snake's skin rendered by a series of chevrons along its body.
Length: ± 21,3 mm
Width: ± 17,4 mm
Excellent condition, some wear consistent with an ancient artefact. The gemstone is a rich translucent red-orange carnelian, carefully polished. The reverse is plain and smoothly finished.
Reference: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (27.702).
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
Serpent imagery in Greek glyptic art is commonly associated with protection, regeneration, healing and chthonic power, making such intaglios both symbolic and personal objects. A well-executed and visually appealing example of ancient Greek gem engraving, suitable for collectors of classical glyptics or early engraved gemstones.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
A superb ancient Greek carnelian intaglio showing a coiled snake facing left and raising its head, a dotted lined border around. Texture of the snake's skin rendered by a series of chevrons along its body.
Length: ± 21,3 mm
Width: ± 17,4 mm
Excellent condition, some wear consistent with an ancient artefact. The gemstone is a rich translucent red-orange carnelian, carefully polished. The reverse is plain and smoothly finished.
Reference: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (27.702).
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
Serpent imagery in Greek glyptic art is commonly associated with protection, regeneration, healing and chthonic power, making such intaglios both symbolic and personal objects. A well-executed and visually appealing example of ancient Greek gem engraving, suitable for collectors of classical glyptics or early engraved gemstones.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Details
Culture
Ancient Greek
Century/ Timeframe
ca 450-425 BC
Name of object
with coiled Snake, Intaglio
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2023
Material
Carnelian
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2023
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
