Following Odysseus Not the end of the world Amarna city of light ...

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8. Moche I-II vessel of a composite creature – partdragon, part cat, part human (arm and nose restored).H. 18 cm. (Lot 276; est. €6450. Sold €6200).9. Moche IV-V vessel with parrot head, AD 450-600, H. 20.6 cm. (Lot 60; est. €180. Sold €170).Moche IV stirrup vessel with a waterfowl spout. H. 20 cm (Lot 59, est. €400. Unsold).Moche IV vessel in form of parrot, expertly restored. H. 22 cm (Lot 58; est. €575. Sold €550).10. Chimu water bird figure on round base(handle and spout missing). H. 12.3cm.(Lot 75; est. €180. Sold €170).11. Classical Mayan ( AD 450-650) grey stonesculpture of man’s head with a bird form helmet.H. 28.3cm. (Lot 175; est. €10 000. Sold €9500).12. Aztec stone statue of a bird holding awinding snake. H. 22.8cm. Intact. (Lot 169;est. €750. Sold €725).cultural zone from that encountered furthersouth (Lot 1).This auction was a showcase for vesselsfrom the Moche culture. A star of the auction,as far as ceramics were concerned,was a Moche I-II vessel of a fantastic animal(Lot 276). It appears to be somethinglike a dragon with human (as well as reptileand feline) features. While these compositecreatures have an uncertain interpretation,artistically they meld human and animaltogether in very interesting ways.The straight depiction of the naturalworld is in comparison more commonlyseen in pre-Columbian art. Good exampleswere three Moche vessels (dating to AD450-600) that depict birds: two parrots, anda waterbird (Lots 58, 59, 60). To the moderneye it appears that these birds have personalities.While it is difficult to comparedifferent cultures, the European ClassicalMinerva November/December 2012world usually reserved such treatment fordogs and perhaps horses.The Chimu culture on the north coast ofPeru, which arose around AD 900, is wellknownfor a burnished black ceramic tradition.In style they clearly follow the Mochein design. The Inca conquered the Chimuaround AD 1470, shortly before the Spanisharrived. Their animals are of a similar butdifferent style. For instance, birds are represented,as are others, such as felines (Lot 72)as well as monkeys (Lot 77). The Inca encompasseda wide-ranging empire, and producedceramics in a variety of styles. Birds are wellknown to them as well (Lot 121).The Veracruz, or Gulf Coast Culture ofMexico, encompassed the central and northernareas of the present-day state of thesame name and existed from AD 100-1000.The architecture of this culture is known forbeing ornate, and a major theme is humansacrifice and the sacred ball-game. Minorarts such as ceramics can also have a moresinister aspect, such as this jaguar-headedwhistle (Lot 162). While the architecture ofthis culture has been known for some time,their ceramics have only been recovered inquantity since the 1950s, and much importantmaterial has ended up on the market.The Aztecs were also known for animals,and given their fierce reputation, it is no surprisethat battling creatures are not uncommonlydepicted, such as this stone sculptureof a bird battling a snake (Lot 169).An elite sculpture with a man’s head ofthe Classic Mayan culture (AD 450-650)was probably used as a trophy given to thewinner of the sacred ball game (Lot 175).The auction was for those whose particularinterest was artefacts of the New Worldwhich are worthy of wider appreciation andshould receive much more attention.57
In the saleroom GERHARD HIRSCH NACHFOLGER1. Terina, stater. 430-420 BC. Obv: nymphTerina. Rev: Nike with caduceus seated oncippus. (Lot 2015; est. €10 000. Sold €9500).2. Melos, stater, circa 450-440 BC. Obv: ‘apple’or pomengranate or quince. Rev: incuse.(Lot 2060; est. €6250. Sold €6000).3. Herakleia, tetradrachm,190-100 BC. Obv: Athena.Rev: Nike holding wreath and mace between twomonograms. (Lot 2067; est. €2500. Sold €2400).4. Celtic tribe (probably the Durocasses) Au-1/2stater, 1st century BC. Rev: horse with vestigialchariot. (Lot 2110; est. €7450. Sold €7200).5. Kaulonia, stater. 530-475 BC. Obv:standing figure of ‘Apollo’. Rev: incuse.(Lot 2137; est. €5000. Sold €6000).6. Messina, tetradrachm, 461-430 BC. Obv:Nymph Messana. Rev: rabbit and dolphin.(Lot 2174 est. €5000. Sold €4800).7. Denarius of Domitilla (circa AD 45-66) struckposthumously. Obv: draped bust with plait Rev:peacock. (Lot 2765, est. €6250. Sold €6000).Held in Munich, between 26-29 September,Auctions 284-285 featured a number ofextremely interesting coins, such as a stater,(Lot 2015) from Bruttium (Terina) signedwith a phi and dated to 430-420 BC. Thedie-carver was identified as Phrygillos,reputed to have been a gem carver as well.This seems evident from this coin’s fine artisticexecution. The letter phi, for example, israrely seen so clearly.Also from Bruttium, this time the cityof Kaulonia, was a well-known type ofstater (Lot 2137), dating from 530-475 BC.‘Apollo’ stands with a branch in his righthand and a little figure with a branch on hisoutstretched left arm, beside him is a deerGreek Sicily is also famous for stunningcoins, such as this tetradrachm (Lot2174) from Messina (461-430 BC). It isbelieved that rabbits were brought to theisland shortly before the coin was struck byAnaxilas the conquering tyrant of Rhegium.In 484, or 480 BC, Anaxilas won the mulebiga event at the Olympic Games. After hisexpulsion, his successors used variants of hisdesigns but which replaced the male muledriver by a nymph.A stater (Lot 2060) from Melos, one ofthe Cycladic Islands, presents something of8. Aureus of Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) struckposthumously. Obv: bare head. Rev: funerarypyre. (Lot 2842, est. €9000. Sold €8500).an enigma. It is said to have an apple on theobverse (melon in Greek) but it could be apomegranate, or possibly even a quince. Thereverse bears an ethnikon in a quadrisectedround incuse.From Asia (Ionia, Herakleia) is a tetradrachm(Lot 2067) dating from 190-100BC. The condition of the coin is exquisite,hence the relatively high estimate of €2500but it only sold for €600.Celtic coins were also represented in thesale, by a particularly fine one half staterfrom Gaul (Lot 2110). Attributed, perhapsuncertainly, to the Durocasses (‘the warriorsof the strengthened hill’) it dates to the 1stcentury BC. This is an extremely rare coin,and may be the best preserved example.Roman rarities included a denariusof Domitilla, the first wife of Vespasianalthough struck posthumously under Titusand Domitian (Lot 2765. It shows a bust ofDomitilla and, unusually, on the reverse. apeacock, an exotic species from India.From the former Nelson Bunker Huntcollection there was an aureus (Lot 2842) ofAntoninus Pius (AD 138-161). Issued posthumously,the decorative funerary pyre onthe reverse commemorates his cremation.This was a sale with a few surprises. nTrading for fourgenerationsIn 1953, Gerhard Hirsch founded acoin trading company under his ownname. The current owner, Dr FranciscaBernheimer, who is his niece of Hirsch,took over the running of the companyafter his death in 1982 and retained thecompany name.In 1878, Otto Helbing, who was a greatgrand-uncle of Dr Bernheimer’s, foundedhis own company dealing in coins. Adecade later he held his first auction. Bothher father, Dr Ludwig Bernheimer, andgrandfather, Consul Otto Bernheimer,managed Haus Bernheimer (an artinstitution founded in 1864).Growing up in a family involvedfor four generations in art, coins andcollecting kindled her interest in thesesubjects and she went on to study arthistory, archaeology, and numismatics.After becoming head of the companyDr Francisca Bernheimer decided that, inaddition to coins, she would add ancientart to the company’s portfolio.She and her family have been holdingauctions for over the past 125 years, andnumerous important collections havepassed through their hands.• Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger,Promenadeplatz 10/II, 80333Munchen, Germany (+49 89 29 2150; www.coinhirsch.de) holds fourauctions per year – in February,May, September, and November.58 Minerva November/December 2012
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