A Greek Gold Filigree Bead, Hellenistic Period, ca. 3rd - 1st century BCE Seals - Intaglio The body of the bird

The body of the bird is formed from two separate sheets soldered together that open at the tail

Surfers Paradise QLD

Thereafter private Boston collection

when stone and glass examples became preferred due to the tendency of bronze to corrode and alter in mass over time

accession number 52

A Greek Gold Filigree Bead, Hellenistic Period, ca. 3rd - 1st century BCE Seals - Intaglio The body of the birdThis superb gold bead represents the height of Hellenistic jewelry artistry. It is constructed from two expertly formed hemispheres of high karat gold, joined so cleanly that the seam becomes a decorative axis rather than a structural necessity. Along this central band runs a perfectly aligned row of larger granules, a hallmark of first rate goldsmithing that both conceals the join and frames the beads symmetrical design. Each hemisphere is covered in