miscellaneousvintageobjects

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Coiled snake pendant with chain by René Jules Lalique, crafted from gold, pearls, and champlevé enamel, Paris, 1898-1899. Collection: State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.

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The Charlemagne Reliquary which once held fragments of Charlemagnes skull. Byzantine, 9th-10th century with additions made in Magdeburg, Germany, in 1343

from The Halberstadt Cathedral Treasury

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eyeshadow spoon with a swivel lid | c. 1327 - 1186 BCE | egypt, new kingdom, 18th or 19th dynasty

in the louvre collection

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Pin

19th century

"Oval-shaped mourning brooch featuring an image of a woman by a tombstone with heart shapes on its top. Engraved with the initials "M.L." on the verso. The back opens to reveal a sample of hair and the initials "H.M." on glass covering the hair."

Maryland Center for History and Culture

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Enameled copper reliquary casket, French, circa 1250-1300

from The Kimbell Art Museum

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Travelling vanity c. late 1800’s

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Antique French Art Nouveau Bird  // shabbyfrenchvintage

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Candle Stick. 14th century. Credit line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/444531

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Colossal head of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV)

Amarna Period, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1353-1336 BC. Now in the Luxor Museum. 156

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Heart scarab of Hatnefer, 18. Dynasty

The heart scarab, depicting chapter 30A from the Book of the Dead, was found in Hatnefer's grave. The owner of the amulet (Hatnefer) pleaded with her hearts not to betray them during the weighing of the heart ceremony.

The interesting part about this amulet is that its function goes far beyond simply depicting the chapter. First of all, the gold serves as a connection to the gods, whose skin is believed to be made out of gold, as a sign of their immortality. By using gold in the funerary context, the Egyptians believed that immortality would affect them as well. The same goes for the green stone, which stood for youth and resurrection.

The form - a scarab is a nod to the sun god Khepri, who again symbolizes the rising sun and rebirth. But it's also a wordplay, as the word for beatle (ḥpr) and the word for shape / form (ḥprw) sound similar, an indication that the amulet is supposed to enable the dead to change form.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art 36.3.2

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Gorgeous German silver decanter with finely cut crystal, Carl Weishaupt, 1896

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Standing Figure with Jeweled Headdress, Iran, Seljuq, 12th–early 13th century. MET (ID: 67.119) The ornamented headdress, arms, and rich vestments of this figure suggest that it most likely represents a sovereign’s personal guard, viziers or amir. Probably meant to decorate the reception hall of a ruler’s court, be it the Seljuq sultan or one of his local vassals or successors, figures like this one would parallel and enhance actual ceremonies in the very setting in which they took place. Recent analyses have proven that a traditionally-made gypsum plaster is consistently employed on these figures and on archaeological stuccoes. This figure also displays integrated restoration of the first half of the twentieth century, including additions in a more refined gypsum, and modern pigments (some of the reds and synthetic ultramarine blue).

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That's a truly extraordinary archaeological discovery! The imperial sceptre of Roman Emperor Maxentius, topped with a crystal sphere and found in 2006 near the Palatine Hill in Rome, is indeed a singular artifact. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that it's the only surviving example of a Roman imperial scepter known to exist.

Imperial scepters were incredibly significant symbols of power and authority in the Roman Empire. They represented the emperor's sovereignty, divine right to rule, and his role as the embodiment of the state's power. While they are frequently depicted on coins, in sculptures, and described in ancient texts, physical examples were almost entirely lost to history. This is largely because imperial regalia were often buried or, in cases of overthrown emperors like Maxentius, deliberately hidden or destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands or being defiled.

The discovery of Maxentius's scepter, alongside several imperial banners (vexilla), was particularly significant because these items were deliberately hidden. They were found wrapped in silk and linen and placed in a wooden box, suggesting they were concealed during the turbulent period of Maxentius's final defeat by Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 CE. This find provides an unprecedented tangible link to the regalia actually held by a Roman emperor, offering invaluable insights into the ceremonial aspects of imperial power in late antiquity. It's truly a rare glimpse into the material culture of a pivotal moment in Roman history.

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Bronze Statue from Greece dated to the 1st Century CE on display at the NY Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark

Photographs taken by myself 2018

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S-Shaped Brooch. 7th century. Credit line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/465131