Modelled naturalistically in the round in an advancing pose with face, muzzle and tooth detailing within the open mouth, the tufts of the animal's mature mane individually rendered; filling hole on the back; the mouth open acting as a spout; North African workmanship; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.5 kg total, 20.5 cm high including stand

with Sotheby’s London, 9 December 1994, no.221.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Accompanied by copies of relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11797-206532.

Cf. Richter, G.M.A., Animals in Greek Sculpture, Oxford, 1930, pp.3ff; Toynbee, J.M.C., Tierwelt der Antike, Mainz-Rhine, 1983, pp.54ff.; Padgett, J.M. (ed.), Roman Sculpture in the Art Museum Princeton University, Princeton, 2001, p.257, no.97; Liverani, P., Spinola, G., Vaticano, La Sala degli animali nel Museo Pio-Clementino, City of Vatican, 2003.

The lion was famously featured in many ancient myths, perhaps the most famous being that of Hercules (Herakles) slaying the Nemean lion for his first labour, but it was also linked with the cult of the goddess Cybele, where it is usually represented sculptured in relief on either side of her throne.

Carved in the round with detailed hairstyle comprising a braid and coil to the rear of the head; the facial features soft and rounded, mouth in a half-smile; mounted on a display-stand. 520 grams total, 11.5 cm including stand4 1/2 in.

Acquired before 2000.
From an English private collection.

Wide bell-shaped body with flat base, tall tapering neck, splayed rim with folded lip; pale blue glass; traces of an old collector's label. 205 grams, 14 cm

Ex London, UK, collection, 1980-1990s.

Cf. Filarska, B., Szkla Starozytne (Ancient Glass) vol. II, Warsaw, 1972, II, cat.220, pl.XLIV,3, for similar vessel.

Modelled in the round in advancing pose with head lowered and mouth open, low-relief collar to the neck; mounted on a custom-made stand. 80 grams total, 52 mm including stand

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Cf. Durham, E., Metal Figurines in Roman Britain, vol. 2, Reading, 2010, pl.275, for type.

Hollow-formed with ribbed mouth to the socket. ram-head finial with swept horns, pierced to accept an attachment stud. 43.1 grams, 44 mm

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Modelled in the round as a young beardless warrior hero with muscular body and rounded shoulders; wearing a high-crested pseudo-Attic helmet with a diadem; the hair arranged in orderly locks over his brow; the bent left hand would originally have held a shield and the extended right hand a spear. 278 grams, 13.5 cm high

Ex collection of Dr Djafari (1900-1981), Kaiserslautern, Germany.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11812-206498.

Cf. Reinach, S., Repertoire de la statuarie Grecque et Romaine, Paris, 1930, pp.180 and 183, nos.7 (Louvre) and 2 (type B. Kerguerriec. Coll.P. du Chatellier in Kernuz), for similar.

This statue of Mars Gradivus, the marching god of war, was probably a cult offering. The statuette still presents an archaic Etruscan hairstyle, being part of the Italic statuettes of the god produced as votive offering to the temples or for private lararia. A Gallo-Roman period temple dedicated to the cult of Mars with a similar statuette has recently been found in Brittany.

Mould made, filling-hole to the centre, slim ogival nozzle with simplified shoulder-volutes, discus iconography a bust of Sol with seven rays radiating from his head, base with one circular groove and impressed Greek letter H (capital eta). 54 grams, 84 mm

From a 1990s German collection.
Ex London, UK, gallery.

Cf. Bussière, J., Lindros Wohl, B., Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 2017, nos.244, 249, for the type and the iconography.

The lamp belongs to the Loeschke type V (Bailey type C), group without handle. The main difference of this group from the Loeschke type IV is the shape of the volutes decorating the nozzle. They are called ‘shoulder-volutes’ because they end the lamp’s shoulder that they prolong. The decorative motif is Sol with radiate nimbus, already visible on these lamps and other Roman artworks in mid 1st century A.D.

Domed roundel with high-relief design of combat between a bearded hero and a monster, wreath and rosettes to the rim. 32 grams, 49 mm

Found near Sedgeford, Norfolk, UK, in the 1980s.
Acquired in the late 1990s.
Property of a Norfolk, UK, collector.

Cf. for surviving examples of this type of medallions or phalerae, often with an animal, compare various examples in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, inv. nos. 31630 and Fr. 1552 g 6-8; Babelon, E., and Blanchet, J.-A., Catalogue des bronzes antiques de la Bibliothéque Nationale, Paris, 1895, nos.12-13, 55, 65-66, 110, 132, 178, 193, 214, 264, 316-17, 359-60, 369, and 445; nos. 25, 28, 120, 143-44, 253, 301, 400, 434, 491, 622, 712, 715, 827, 844, and 1022.

According to the legend, Theseus, prince of Athens, went to the island of Crete to kill a monster who was the son of queen Pasiphae and a wild bull, although officially he was the son of Minos and Pasiphae. Theseus chased him into the labyrinth, killed him and found his way out with the help of the comb of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. The myth has its representation in the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic period, and was widely depicted in the Graeco-Roman world. The present repoussé appliqué was probably used as a furniture or horse harness ornament.

Including a miniature T-shaped brooch, nail-cleaner, enamelled military belt mount and other items; many of these objects are published in the Detector Finds book series. 95 grams total, 20-77 mm

From the collection of the famous author, writer and speaker, Gordon Bailey, Essex, UK; formed since 1968.

See Bailey, G., Detector Finds 6, Witham, 2008, p.11-12.

Comprising three necklaces restrung from beads of drilled ancient glass bangle fragments. 29 grams total, 64-71 cm

UK gallery, early 2000s.

With broad shoulders and ellipsoid bezel, intaglio dolphin and 'XA' enigmatic inscription. 4.35 grams, 23.65 mm overall, 18.90 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)

Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Cf. Ruseva-Slokoska, L., Roman Jewellery, Sofia, 1991, item 229, for type.

Sheet gold disc pendant with garnet cabochon, knop and ribbed suspension loop. 0.22 grams, 8 mm

Ex property of a late Japanese collector, 1970-2000s.