Poking around the MFA Boston site...

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by John Anthony, Aug 19, 2017.

  1. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    ...I came across this 4th-3rd century BC kylix (drinking vessel) of Campania, in which the potter used a Syracusan decadrachm to make an impression into the clay for the central design. I didn't know that was a thing - pretty cool, eh? Here's the link. That is all.

    kylix small.jpg kylix center.jpg
     
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  3. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Neat design feature. Maybe one of us should try this.
     
  4. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    Good idea. I vote @TIF
     
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  5. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    It would be interesting to know if they have identified a die duplicate coin of if they are assuming things here and there.
     
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  6. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Sounds good. Which of you is going to send me a dekadrachm to use? :D
     
  7. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    I'm sure Ancient Joe or Ides have a few lying around.
     
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  8. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Let me check my pockets...:)
     
  9. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    It doesn't have to be a dekadrachm. Use one of you other nice coins. I'm pretty sure the coin will be okay.
     
  10. Ed Snible

    Ed Snible Well-Known Member

    I was at The Frick Collection in New York City today. There is an amazing exhibit of portrait medals on display there for the next three weeks.

    The kylix reminds me of a gilt silver cup from 1614. Here is the picture from the exhibit: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/77

    The cub was decorated with impressions of then-current coins and also with a medal impression.

    If anyone is in New York this is probably your best chance to see Renaissance medals. I had previously only seen one or two other than in books. In person many of them are extremely impressive.
     
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  11. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

    That's really cool!
     
  12. Iosephus

    Iosephus Well-Known Member

    I heartily concur with this recommendation - the exhibit of medals (and one sestertius of Galba) at the Frick is spectacular.

    In a coincidence, I was also at the Frick today to see the exhibit again - did you happen to see Dr. Scher's talk at 2pm?
     
  13. Carausius

    Carausius Brother, can you spare a sestertius?

    Thinking this through, if the potter impressed a coin into the clay, wouldn't the image be incuse and reversed - i.e. facing right? This image is facimg left, as on the coins. The image also seems to be in relief, unless the photo/lighting is playing tricks. Maybe they used a dekadrachm to produce a decorative transfer die for the potter, which would produce a relief image facing the same way as the coin.
     
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  14. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  15. Ed Snible

    Ed Snible Well-Known Member

    I was at Dr. Scher's 11am talk. For those who can't make it, here are YouTube videos:

    Video Introduction to the exhibit:
    http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/video

    Stephen Scher's five favorite medals
    http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/favorites
    Stephen Scher video lecture at the Frick:
    http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/lecture_videos
     
  16. rrdenarius

    rrdenarius non omnibus dormio Supporter

    @John Anthony Great piece, thanks for sharing.
    I think that several of my older books, Sydenham's Aes Grave for one, used pictures of plaster casts of coins. That is an art that went away when digital photography can produce much better pictures.
    There are folks that do this with coins:
    coin castings didoup4.jpg
    http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/mbeau.html

    or you can go for chocolate:
    Chocolate coin mold.jpg
     
  17. AncientJoe

    AncientJoe Well-Known Member

    I was about to drop off the envelope but realized it's only a Kimon and that bowl is a Euainetos. Alas... need to buy more coins!
     
  18. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Yeah, you should get right on that. I'll be waiting by the mailbox :D
     
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