MEDFIELD, MA June 23, 2004 -- Fragments of Time, Inc., (http://www.fragmentsoftime.com) a leading international dealer in museum-quality ancient art, today announced availability of Art from the Ancient World XXXI, a full-color and authoritatively researched catalogue highlighting more than 65 provenanced ancient objects from its inventory.
For more than 10 years, company founder John Ambrose, who had previously spent 15 years as a private collector in Europe and the USA, has been one of the few American antiquities dealers publishing quarterly, fully researched and illustrated, fixed-price catalogues dedicated to fine antiquities. Fragments of Time enjoys an international reputation for quality antiquities, scholarly expertise, competitive prices, and unrivalled service.
In addition to a variety of classical Greek, Roman, Hellenistic and Italic objects, Catalogue XXXI also includes a selection of antiquities from the Near East, Holyland, Cyprus and Byzantium.
The cover of Catalogue XXXI features a large and important Athenian red-figure lekythos, circa 480-470 BC, depicting a beautifully composed youthful female standing in a domestic setting that includes ancient furniture, weaving implements, and baskets containing fruit or flowers. The vase also has a 130-year documented provenance and has been extensively published. It was also exhibited in the mid 1940s at the London Royal Academy of Arts.
โ€œFine Attic red-figure pottery continues to be one of the most desirable areas for collectors of classical antiquities but demand sharply outstrips supply,โ€ said Ambrose. โ€œObjects, such as this lekythos, with long pedigree histories and well executed scenes are a superb addition to any serious collection.โ€
The catalogue features a variety of superb classical Greek objects including a fine Athenian drinking cup with a Dionysiac procession (ex-French 19th century collection), a wonderful standing Greek Kore in terracotta (ex-California collection), and a pristine molded Athenian โ€œHead Vaseโ€ circa 475-450 BC (ex-Canadian collection).
Collectors of Greek South Italian pottery and terracottas will fine an array of objects including an extremely interesting and rare 4th Century BC skyphos with an owl with outstretched wings on one side and a seated sphinx in profile on the reverse. This vase is a striking and artistically powerful departure from the standard but still pleasing โ€œowl cupโ€ representative of the goddess Athena.
In addition to a selection of Roman pottery, lamps and bronzes, Catalogue XXXI features a small group of fine Roman glass objects, circa 1st-5th Century AD, including an attractive โ€œgrape flask,โ€ a near colorless glass cup, pale green shallow glass dish, and a group of miniature glass juglets that were worn as jewelry by the ancients.
Egyptian collectors will find a selection of fine scarabs โ€" each fully attributed and described. In addition, the catalogue features an inscribed steatite obelisk amulet inscribed for the โ€œcontroller of the wine production of Ra,โ€ and an inscribed Shabti for Padi-Aset, and a pair of papyrus scepter amulets, among others.
The Importance of Catalogues
โ€œWith the importance of provenance and proliferation of forgeries on the web, buying from a dealer who invests time, energy, money and reputation in producing first-rate scholarly catalogues on a regular basis remains one of best ways for collectors of all levels to help protect their investments,โ€ said Ambrose. โ€œUnlike the web, catalogues are permanent documents that firmly establish additional indisputable provenance for each object when a collector decides to sell down the road. Plus, catalogues are an awesome reference and learning tool for collectors of all levels.โ€
Fragments of Time quarterly catalogues are consistently rated among the best in the antiquities field and are used by collectors, scholars and museums as reference works. A complimentary catalogue is available upon request at www.fragmentsoftime.com or by calling (508) 359-0090. An annual subscription is just $15 in the continental US and is free to clients who make at least one purchase per year.
For more information visit http://www.fragmentsoftime.com