silver

C/2003/0149

Gilded buckle/clasp of low-quality silver. It consists of two triangular pieces with a wavy outline. The outer point of both pieces is decorated with an additional cast element of an anthemion flanked by scrollwork. Rococo style floral designs extend along the outer periphery, while the rest of the surface is covered by a lattice pattern of consecutive lozenges. The centre of the lozenges features fleur-de-lis motifs in alternation with small, six-petaled rosettes. The clasp closes with a hook and a corresponding loop that is decorated with fine linear patterns. Repoussé is applied in combination with chasing, while certain elements are made with casting. The motifs are rendered in high relief, while the fine chasing and the mat, dotted background create a play of light and shade. The lozenge lattice, enriched with floral decoration, alludes to the carved and painted ceilings in 18th-19th century mansions. The floral motifs create the impression of movement and are reminiscent of clasps from Greece and Asia Minor. The fleur-de-lis, however, is a favoured motif in Cyprus, a remnant of the Lusignan period.

On the reverse side, there are bars with a wavy outline, one on the base of the fastening elements, and two more of different widths affixed vertically to the frame. Two dates, 1821 and 1848, are lightly incised on the widest bar of one clasp piece. This clasp must have been in long-term use, judging by the attempt to repair it by soldering pieces of sheet silver to the back of the decorated surface.

Total length: 28 cm. Height: 10cm.

Donation from the A.G. Leventis Foundation.

C/2003/0154

Low-quality silver buckle/clasp of two convex discs decorated with a large rosette. A small, circular element covers the fastening. The clasp is distinguished by the masterful combination of different silversmithing techniques: repoussé, engraving, casting, wirework, appliqué, and granulation. Each of the three clasp elements is set with a central paste (glass stone), red on the discs and green on the central element. Around each stone are filigree designs, enriched with applied granules and small lozenges. On the discs, the central boss is surrounded by nine repoussé petals in a circular arrangement. The rest of the surface is covered with foliate in repoussé. An additional, cast and pierced element of an anthemion flanked by symmetrical acanthus leaves, is attached to the outer extreme of both discs. On the reverse side of each disc, there are two bars of a different width, with a wavy outline on one side, for securing the clasp to a belt. The clasp comprised part of a priest's vestments.  

This clasp is similar to a fire-gilded silver bridal belt clasp from Sille of Konya, now at the National Historical Museum in Athens (ind. No. 10196), which features the same elements in a simpler form (Mazarakis-Ainian and Iakobou (eds.) 1995, 98-100). It can also be compared to the clasp of the Didymoteicho bridal costume (Papantonio 1991, 120-121). Clasps no. C/2002/2624, C/2002/2623, and C/2000/2183 of the Leventis Municipal Museum Collection are variations of the same basic type.

Total length: 26 cm. Diameter: 10.5 cm.

Donation from the A.G. Leventis Foundation.

C/2000/2183

Silver buckle/clasp of two convex discs with repoussé, chased, and engraved decoration. As in the previous two examples, the surfaces of both clasp pieces are covered by a large rosette, surrounding smaller floral motifs that encircle a central, green paste (glass stone). The larger rosettes consist of eight repoussé petals alternating with cypresses of equal height, positioned with their tops towards the centre. The decoration is completed with small floral motifs and rows of relief dots. The outer extreme of the discs is trimmed with an additional element of an anthemion flanked by symmetrical scrollwork. The clasp fastening is covered by an oblong element with a curved outline, set with a red paste in the middle. This central element can be considered a stylised rendering of a rosette in between two anthemia. All decoration details are crafted with fine chasing and engraving. On the reverse side, there are two long and narrow bars for attaching the clasp to a belt.

Total length: 31.3 cm. Diameter: 12 cm. 

Donation from the Association of Friends of the Leventis Museum

C/2002/2623

Low-quality silver buckle/clasp, composed of two convex discs that are joined by means of a cast hook and a corresponding loop. Both discs are slightly elongated by a stylised floral design (reminiscent of an anthemion?) that adorns their outer extreme. The decoration is rendered in repoussé, chasing, and engraving. It consists of a central rosette, encircled by a band with a foliate scroll pattern. Around this band, twelve petals, alternatingly concave and convex, form a larger rosette. The convex repoussé petals are decorated with floral designs. The composition is bordered by a row of relief dots that extends along the edge. On the reverse side, two bars are soldered to the discs (Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 1996, 226, fig. 236).

Total length: 22.6 cm. Diameter: 9.5 cm.

Former Collection of Pavlos Neophytou.

Donation from the Association of Friends of the Leventis Museum.

C/2002/2624

Low-quality silver buckle/clasp of two disc-shaped elements, joined by means of a cast hook and a corresponding loop. At the outer extreme of each disc, the rim extends to a sharp point. Both halves of the clasp are similarly decorated. At the centre there is a composite rosette inside a frame, around which paisley-shaped repoussé petals in a diagonal arrangement alternate with similarly shaped elements, enclosing a flower with a stem and leaves. A row of dots in relief extends near the edge. The pronounced relief of the glossy surfaces and, more generally, the varying height of the relief decoration create highlights and shadows, while the diagonal petals give the impression that they are swirling around the central rosette. At four points along the periphery, there are pairs of small holes, for securing the clasp to a belt.

Total length: 22cm. Diameter: 10 cm.

Former Collection of Pavlos Neophytou. Donation from the Association of Friends of the Leventis Museum.

C/2003/0147

Silver buckle/clasp of two oval-shaped pieces with a scalloped outline, joined with a cast hook that passes through a corresponding loop. The outer end of each half has an additional element of an anthemion flanked by a foliate scroll motif, which extends roughly to the middle of the top and bottom sides, following their curvilinear contour. Floral designs, including garlands with leaves and flowers, also extend internally along the edge of each clasp piece, forming a wide band around the central motif, namely the winged lion of Venice, a symbol of Saint Mark. The front-facing animal has its wings open and one of its front legs raised. A rich mane, surrounded by a halo, frames its face, which is distinguished by its almost human features and especially the wide-open eyes. The tufted tail is turned upwards and the taloned toes are outspread. The ancient theme of the winged lion was revived and became particularly widespread during and after the period of Venetian rule. It remained popular in the Early Modern period, both in religious iconography and in various categories of folk art, especially in architectural stone carvings (e.g., in the carved plaque at the entrance of The House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios in Nicosia). The same motif is depicted on traditional silverware, for example in the centre of trays, but is rarely found on clasps. The lion’s front facing representation, with its piercing gaze directed towards the viewer, is reminiscent of the apotropaic heads/masks that are frequently encountered in clasps from Greece and its wider region (for the head as an apotropaic theme in modern Greek folk art, see Korre 1978). In this particular example, the high-relief decoration of the floral designs and the winged lion is worked in repoussé, with engraved and chased details. On the reverse side, there is a bar on each part of the clasp, for securing it to a belt.

Total length: 30 cm. Height: 10 cm.

Donation from the A.G. Leventis Foundation.

C/1989/175

Silver buckle/clasp of two wide almond-shaped pieces, joined with a cast hook and a corresponding loop. A vase with flowers decorates the metal surface at the inner side of each fastening element, and a foliate scroll motif in relief extends along the rest of the periphery, following the curved contour of each clasp piece. The rich floral decoration borders the central motif, which is a magnificently complex structure with columns and arches, rendered in high relief with engraved and chased details. On the reverse side, there are pairs of vertical bars, one narrow and one much wider with a wavy outline, for securing the clasp to a belt. The theme of buildings, churches, mosques and palaces is encountered in other examples of clasps that are likely Cypriot (for similar examples see: Papageorgiou 1995, 100, Collection of the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus, and Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 1996, 225, fig. 234, Collection of Pavlos Neophytou, Nicosia).

Total length: 30 cm. Height: 10.5 cm.

Donation from the A.G. Leventis Foundation.

Tripartite silver buckle (poukla) with exuberant decoration that covers the whole surface of all three parts. Various techniques were used in the manufacture of the buckle, including casting, forging, and engraving, while the embellishment was completed with overlaid elements and inlaid coloured glass stones. Two parts of the buckle are integrated, while the third is independent and connected to the central part with a pin. A triple chain begins at a ring on one of the lateral parts and is connected with a pin through another ring. To close the buckle, the pin enters tubular receptacles on both the central and independent parts, securing it.

The two lateral parts of the buckle are almost identical in terms of design and decoration, while all three have a very similar outline, consisting of two opposite horn-like protrusions and floral patterns at the tip. The middle section is larger and more striking. It is oriented vertically, as opposed to the lateral sections, which are horizontal and serve to frame the central piece. The perimeters of all three pieces are emphasised with a series of dots, and all three have a similar decoration of dense patterns, leaves, branches and rosette-type flowers with dots in their centres and small overlaid prismatic squares arranged sporadically across the whole surface. In the centre of each piece is an inlaid glass stone, green on the lateral pieces and red in the central piece. The glass stones are surrounded by tiny flowers, creating the impression of a rosette. These central elements of each section are screwed on, and their surface, like the silver surface of other parts of the buckle, glistens and appears to have been gilded. On the reverse side, the buckle has four copper clasps for securing a fabric belt.

A similar example of a cast buckle is included in the collection of the Leventis Municipal Museum in Nicosia (Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou and Loizou Hadjigavriel 2003, 61, no. C/1992/1242). A similar version of the distinctive outline seen here is found on a buckle with filigree decoration in the same collection (Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou and Loizou Hadjigavriel 2003, 60, no. C/1989/174), as well as on a filigree buckle in a private collection in Nicosia (Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou 1996, 229, fig. 245) and on a Cypriot buckle in the National Historical Museum in Athens (Gangadi et al. 1999, 137, fig. 120). The antiquity of tripartite buckles of this type, with their common characteristic outline, but usually with motifs in filigree technique, is attested by their presence in collections dating from the second half of the 19th century, such as that of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (Papadimitriou 2000, 73, 98-99, Catalogue 31, 34; see also another sample of the same type with dense spirals and hexagons and inlaid glass stones at their centres, in Ohnefalsch-Richter (1913) 1994, plate 761).

Dimensions: Height 23 cm., Width 14 cm.

Gilt buckle (poukla) made of silver alloy. It consists of two similar almond-shaped elements with wavy outlines and identical incised and relief stylised floral composition that emerges from a tiny vase with upright opposing handles ending in spirals. The base of the flower vase is rendered in the shape of a pitcher with engraved details. The floral composition consists of branches with flowers and leaves that develop on most of the surface, following the almond-shaped outline up to the pointed tip of the buckle. The decoration is completed with a wide band which follows the perimeter of the central motif, featuring continuous spiral-shaped leaves. The clasp of the buckle is closed with a cast hook that inserts into a cast ring on the opposite part of the buckle. On the backside of each piece, there is a metal strap for securing the fabric of the belt. A small technical repair is observed at the base of one piece.

Dimensions: height 24 cm., width 30 cm.