Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Collector

Cecil Brent

d. 1902 · United Kingdom

Bromley antiquary who bought Cypriot pottery at the second Lawrence-Cesnola sale and showed it, with gold earrings, to the British Archaeological Association in 1884.

Biography

Cecil Brent, F.S.A., of 37 Palace Grove, Bromley, Kent, bought Cypriot vases at the second sale of the Lawrence-Cesnola collection and showed them to the British Archaeological Association. He is listed among its associates under the year 18531.

The Association's report for the session in volume 40 says that Mr C. Brent, F.S.A., exhibited "a considerable number of archaic Greek, Phoenician, and Cypriote terra-cotta vases of various styles, pale grey, yellow, red glaze, and painted, recently acquired by him at the second sale of the Lawrence-Cesnola Collection". With them were several pairs of fine gold earrings from Cypriot tombs, which the report says Alexander Palma di Cesnola excavated in the Salamis district. Walter de Gray Birch described some of the objects1. The Athenaeum of 31 May 1884 reports an exhibit of "ancient pottery, mostly from Cyprus", with gold earrings of Greek date3.

Brent had died by December 1902, when Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge advertised the sale of his library by order of his executors4,5. The sale was of books; where his Cypriot pieces went is not recorded.

Life and work

  1. 1883–1884
    Bought archaic Greek, Phoenician and Cypriote terracotta vases 'recently acquired by him at the second sale of the Lawrence-Cesnola Collection of Cypriote antiquities'.

    LondonBritish Archaeological Association (1884). Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. 40: Proceedings. Journal of the British Archaeological Association 40, p. 221 (leaf 272); list of associates leaf 24, p. 221

  2. 1883–1884
    Showed the vases, with several pairs of fine gold earrings from Cypriote tombs excavated by Major A. P. di Cesnola in the Salamis district, to the British Archaeological Association; W. de Gray Birch described some of the pieces.

    LondonBritish Archaeological Association (1884). Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. 40: Proceedings. Journal of the British Archaeological Association 40, p. 221 (leaf 272); list of associates leaf 24, p. 221

  3. May 1884
    Exhibited 'an assorted collection of ancient pottery, mostly from Cyprus, showing many of the varied forms of the ceramic ware of the island', with gold earrings of Greek date.

    London(1884-05-31). The Athenaeum, 31 May 1884, no. 2953 (report of the Association meeting). The Athenaeum 2953, leaf 18

  4. 1902

Connections

1 person

Sales, gifts & bequests

Objects

Sources

  1. 1.British Archaeological Association (1884). “Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. 40: Proceedings”. Journal of the British Archaeological Association 40, p. 221 (leaf 272); list of associates leaf 24.
  2. 2.British Archaeological Association. “Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. 43: Proceedings”. Journal of the British Archaeological Association 43, leaf 261.
  3. 3. (1884-05-31). “The Athenaeum, 31 May 1884, no. 2953 (report of the Association meeting)”. The Athenaeum 2953, leaf 18.
  4. 4. (1902). “Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge: Library of the late Cecil Brent, Esq., F.S.A., Palace Grove, Bromley, Kent”. Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge, leaf 1.
  5. 5. (1902-12-20). “The Athenaeum, 20 December 1902, no. 3921 (sale advertisement)”. The Athenaeum 3921, leaf 1.
  6. 6.Numismatic Society of London. “Numismatic Chronicle, new series vol. 5: Proceedings of the Numismatic Society”. Numismatic Chronicle n.s. 5, leaf 18 (exhibit), leaf 21 (election).
  7. 7.British Archaeological Association, 1884, Journal of the British Archaeological Association, vol. 40: Proceedings.
  8. 8.Journal of the British Archaeological Association (1845).

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