Two thousand years later and people are still talking about the parties that Bacchus threw. The god of wine, pleasure, ritual madness, ecstasy and theatre, Bacchus to the Romans or Dionysos to the Greeks, we can ascertain one thing for sure: this guy had so much fun, they named him the god of it. In the Second Century C.E., artists started to depict Bacchus as a younger fellow, the kind that would stay up all night, not having much for a beard. But earlier depictions of him, from the First Century, showed him with full beard — a wiser and more distinct reveler. A Roman herm bust of Bacchus, the fully bearded kind, approaches the block at Artemis Gallery, joining other top lots from around the United States in this week’s picks.
ARTEMIS GALLERY
Sale Date: July 5, 2018
Lot 49
Fine Roman Marble Herm Bust Of Bacchus/Dionysos
Rome, Imperial Period, circa First to Second Century C.E. A carved marble herm depicting the bearded Olympian god Bacchus (Greek Dionysos or Dionysus). This is an early portrayal of Bacchus, as it shows him with a full beard, 5¾ inches high.
Estimate: $5/7,500
MICHAAN’S
Sale Date: July 7, 2018
Lot 172
Pair of Wucai “Dragon and Phoenix” Bowls
Each bowl is painted with iron-red and green dragons racing amidst flower stems in pursuit of flaming pearls and separated by downward-swooping phoenixes below a narrow band of conjoined bajixiang and ruyi heads, with an iron-red dragon leaping amidst green flames in the interior. Daoguang marks and period, 6-1/8 inches diameter.
Estimate: $8/12,000
GARTH’S
Sale Date: July 6, 2018
Lot 20
Japanese Cabinet
Late Nineteenth Century, mixed hardwoods. Elaborate three-piece architectural form with galleries, foliate carved base and fretwork panels. Doors and back panels have original lacquered landscape grounds with applied bone and mother of pearl decoration, 86 inches high.
Estimate: $600/900
HAMPEL
Sale Date: July 4, 2018
Lot 477
(Attr.) Jan van Scorel, (1495–1562)
Late Gothic folding house altar, oil on oak panel. The folding altar with depiction of the Virgin and Child on the central panel and figures of saints and benefactors on the side panels
Estimate: $140/175,000
JENACK
Sale Date: July 8, 2018
Lot 80
Chinese Silk And Wool Embroidered Applique/Tapestry Panel
Scholars with scrolls, Ming/Qing dynasties, 79½ inches high.
Estimate: $2/3,000
HAKE’S
Sale Date: July 10–12, 2018
Lot 1584
Frank Frazetta Blazing Combat Cover Illustration Art
Blazing Combat was a war-comics magazine published by Warren Publishing from Oct. 1965 to July 1966. This is the original art for the cover to issue #2 (Jan. 1966), in 23 by 23¾ frame, depicting World War II scene showing close quarter combat between American and Nazi troops.
Estimate: $75/100,000
A-1 AUCTION
Sale Date: July 8, 2018
Lot 119
Newcomb College Metal Shop Floor Lamp
Circa 1910, unsigned. Pyramid-shaped base supports a square pole, with covering attached by pyramid tacks, brass screws and nails, the shade pierced, hammered and embossed with poinsettia leaves.
Estimate: $1/5,000
BERNARD’S AUCTION GALLERY
Sale Date: July 7, 2018
Lot 135
Chinese Cloisonne Enamel Candlestand
9¾ inches high.
Estimate: $5/8,000
GRAY’S AUCTIONEERS
Sale Date: July 11, 2018
Lot 33
A German Silver Mechanical Songbird Music Box
Circa 1900, having a pop-up singing bird, rococo style motifs, including cherubs.
Estimate: $800-1,200
