Ashmolean Museum Oxford
The Bill Skinner Studio
The impressive becomes collectable with this gorgeous matt gold charm representing a Minoan Octopus vase. Its the perfect gift for a lover of history and ancient civilisations.
For lovers of historical artefacts, the Minoan vase has been replicated in minute and delicate detail. Just simply clip the charm onto our special charm necklace or bracelet, and mix and match with other exquisite pieces from the Ashmolean's collections.
Each charm is sold separately, and you can find a link to the rest of the charms collection by clicking here.
Standing at an impressive 75 centimetres, the original three-handled jar depicts an octopus with six arms swimming in an abstract seascape. The jar comes from the palace that Sir Arthur Evans (Keeper of the Ashmolean from 1884-1908) had excavated at Knossos and belongs to a culture he called Minoan, after the legendary King Minos.
The Bill Skinner Studio is a British-based jewellery designer who captures magnificent animals and natural subjects in exquisite detail. Skinner launched his namesake brand with a collection of remarkably charismatic and distinctive pieces in 2012. Inspired by the natural world, the team work from their studio in Kent and hand-carve every delicate piece to ensure that the utmost detail is obtained.
Credit: Knossos, Crete (c.1450–c.1400 BC), Jar with octopus motif. Ceramic.
Materials: 100% brass with gold plating and enamel
Dimensions: 1.9 x 1.5 cm
Shipping to United States of America is currently suspended for the foreseeable future.
The de minimus exemption for orders under $800 going to USA ended on Friday 29 August 2025. Please bear with us while we update our systems to accommodate the new tariffs and duties.
Our Pickup service is a convenient way for you to order online and collect your purchase in person at the Museum. Simply select the Pickup option at checkout.
Once you have received the collection ready email notification from us, we will hold your order for you up to 2 weeks. Please ensure that you visit the Museum to collect your order within those 2 weeks.
UK 1st Class: delivery 2-5 business days from dispatch
Europe: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays)
Rest of World: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays)
Please be aware that orders to International addresses may be subject to local customs duty or taxes. You will need to pay any additional charges for customs clearance, charges include local VAT and duty based on the value and origin of the product.
Weight Restriction
There is 5kg weight restriction for UK orders, and a 2kg weight restriction for International orders. If your order exceeds this weight, please contact the Online Shop team so that we can organise a quote for special delivery: onlineshop@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
Further information on our delivery options and returns policy can be found in Shipping & Returns.
The profit from your purchases helps fund the running, collection and care of the Ashmolean Museum, which is free to enter and offers more than 1000 tours, workshops and lectures each year. By shopping with us today, you are helping support everything that we do.
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