3,000-year-old Iron age solid gold bracelet sells for £500,000 at auction.

[Neil]

By Anthony Bond

It is extremely rare and shows off the extraordinary talents of Iron Age craftsmen.
So it is perhaps no surprise that this exquisite, 3,000-year-old solid gold bracelet has fetched more than £500,000 at auction -  ten times its pre-sale estimate.
The intricately designed bracelet, which contains three quarters of a kilo of high-purity gold, sparked a bidding frenzy at the Christie’s antiquities sale.
 
The bracelet - believed to be the only one of its type still in private hands - eventually went to an anonymous buyer.

It had been expected to fetch between £40,000 and £60,000 but the final price was £517,875.

The extremely rare bracelet weighing almost a kilo shows that Iron Age craftsmen in about 1000BC were talented goldsmiths.

They used furnaces to melt gold and iron tools for bold designs with the bracelet boasting an intricate geometric pattern.

Christie’s antiquities expert Laetitia Delaloye said that the original owner would have a very wealthy man, perhaps a royal member of a powerful Iberian tribe.
She said: 'The gold bracelet from the Iron Age is a special piece and it is extremely rare for us to see such a detailed example of early Iron Age craftsmanship on the market.
 
Popular: The intricately designed bracelet, which contains three quarters of a kilo of high-purity gold, sparked a bidding frenzy at the Christie's antiquities sale


'The intricate workmanship and size of the piece show that the owner was keen to display his elite status, his social standing reflected by his adornment.'

At the same central London sale, a rare Egyptian granite falcon made during the 4th century BC went for £1,125,875 to London sculpture dealer Daniel Katz.
Its pre-sale estimate had also been ten times lower at between £100,000 and £150,000.
The beautifully carved sculpture was acquired in the 1840s by a French diplomat in Egypt and had remained in the same family until today.

The falcon was an important symbol of power for the kings of Ancient Egypt.
In October last year, Katz paid £3.6 million for the artwork’s sister piece, an Egyptian sculpture of the goddess Isis.

[cardiffian]

Cheers for posting that Neil. An excellent read. Such a fantastic piece of work.