Bidspirit auction | RARE ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB OF

RARE ETRUSCAN CARNELIAN SCARAB OF KNEELING AJAX WITH INSCRIBED NAME IN AN ITALIAN NEOCLASSICAL GOLD - Ca. 500 BC. A finely carved carnelian scarab, the naturalistically modelled back articulated with head, thorax, and folded wing cases. The underside is engraved in intaglio with Ajax kneeling, wearing a crested helmet and holding a short sword, his name inscribed beside him, all within a hatched border. It is mounted in an elaborate Neoclassical gold pendant attributed to an important workshop in Naples, Italy, associated with the archaeological-revival fashion promoted by Castellani. The scarab is framed by concentric bands of circular ornament, fine granulation, and twisted wire, with a double-baluster drop below. The broad ribbed suspension loop is edged with clustered granules. For similar see: The Classical Art Research Centre, Record Number: 40001986. Size: 58mm x 30mm; Weight: 23g Provenance: Property of a West London businessman, formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.