66 - A CARTHAGINIAN ‘DEMONIC MASK’ GLASS PENDANT, PHOENICIA, CIRCA 5TH CENTURY BC

A CARTHAGINIAN ‘DEMONIC MASK’ GLASS PENDANT, PHOENICIA, CIRCA 5TH CENTURY BC Finely formed from semi-translucent blue glass with applied yellow details. The demonic mask has bulging eyes formed by blue knobs over large yellow circles, large arched yellow eyebrows that curl outward into circular appliqués reminiscent of ram’s horns, a prominent nose, and a yellow mouth. Provenance: Rassla Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland. A copy of a signed declaration from Inti Ligabue, dated 28 May 2026, confirming the provenance above, accompanies this lot. The Rassla Foundation in Zurich held the collection assembled by Dr. Giancarlo Ligabue (1931-2015), the Italian entrepreneur, paleontologist, explorer, and distinguished collector of archaeology and ethnographic art. Over several decades, Ligabue assembled an important collection spanning ancient cultures from across the world. A graduate in paleontology from the Sorbonne, he founded the Ligabue Study and Research Center in 1973 and promoted more than 130 scientific expeditions worldwide, particularly in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and natural history. His cultural and scientific legacy is continued today by the Fondazione Giancarlo Ligabue in Venice, established by his son Inti Ligabue in 2016. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, obvious losses, small old repairs, expected manufacturing irregularities, small losses, pitting, minor soiling, encrustations. Weight: 3 g Dimensions: Height 2 cm These intricate glass pendants, produced centuries before the invention of glassblowing, demonstrate the skill of Phoenician artisans in the Eastern Mediterranean. Using a technique called rod-forming, glassmakers wound hot threads of colored glass around a metal core to sculpt minute details, such as the beard of a male head or the horns of a ram. The staring eyes and vibrant colors were not merely decorative; these objects functioned as apotropaic amulets, worn to ward off the "evil eye" and protect the wearer from misfortune. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related Phoenician rod-formed glass pendant in the form of a demonic mask, dated to the 6 th-5 th century BC, 2.2 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 17.194.739. Compare a closely related Phoenician or Carthaginian glass head pendant of a demon mask, dated to the late 7 th-5 th century BC, 2.6 cm high, in the Toledo Museum of Art, accession number 1923.354A. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 2 May 2013, lot 6 Price: GBP 11,875 or approx. EUR 20,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Carthaginian red glass head pendant, circa 4th-1st century BC Expert remark: Compare the related compact form, and applied contrasting facial details, including the prominent eyes and lips. Note the later dating, red glass ground and suspension loop, and identical size (2 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 5 December 2018, lot 67 Price: GBP 10,000 or approx. EUR 16,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Carthaginian glass head pendant, circa 5 th-4 th century BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related dating, compact proportions, polychrome glass construction, and strongly modeled mask-like facial features. Note the slightly larger size (3 cm).