From a colossal relief, depicting a life-size head of a goddess or an Amazon with a smooth reverse; pronounced lips and wide brow; the hair arranged in waves leaving the ears partially uncovered, secured with a taenia; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 11.9 kg total, 32 cm including stand

From an English private collection, 1970s-late 1990s.
English private collection.

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.12163-218598

Cf. Bonanno, A., Roman relief portraiture to Septimius Severus, Oxford, 1976, pls.294-295, 306, for similar portrait relief in style, from the Arch of Severus at Leptis Magna.

The style is akin to the sculptures of the Severan Age with a naturalistic treatment of the hair, and a more restrained use of the drill. The sculpture displays the same characteristic oval broad face with fleshy round cheeks, widely arched brow and big eyes of the portraits of Julia Domna. The alternative identification of the head as an Amazon can be deduced from the taenia and the details of the tear ducts, linked to a possible representation of a combat scene in which an Amazon suffers in agony after receiving mortal wounds.

Modelled in the half-round with soft youthful features, wavy hair framed by a wreath of berries and leaves; eyes modelled empty to accept glass inserts. 989 grams, 12.5 cm

Acquired on the European art market, 1990s.
English private collection.

With lug handle and short nozzle, low-relief scene of a nude dancer running brandishing batons. 72 grams, 87 mm

From a London collection of erotica, formerly in the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK.

Cf. Bémont, C., Lampes en Terre Cuite, Paris, 2007, item D.179, for type.

With gently curved sidewall, flared base and everted rim; groups of vertical lines to the inner rim, circumferential bands below the rim and above the foot, vertical interrupted herringbone panels to the body. 346 grams, 11 cm

Collection of Stanley J. Seeger (1930-2011), England, Tennant of Yorkshire.
with Attic Sale, 16 May 2015, no.265.
Acquired by the present owner at the above sale.

Cf. similar, less elaborate beaker in the British Museum under accession no.1869,0624.26.

Mould-blown with elliptical body, short neck and thick everted rim in amber-tinted glass, with modelled wrinkles to resemble date fruit. 18.3 grams, 65 mm

German art market.
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2003.

See Whitehouse, D., Roman Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, vol.2, New York, 2001, item 631, for type.

Narrow mouth with squared rim, short cylindrical neck extending to a wide shoulder with applied strap handles, the ovoid body moulded with ten rows of stylised grapes; some iridescence; old collector''s label to underside '4187 TD'. 50 grams, 97 mm

From the private collection of a French Count in the 19th century.
Ex Thierry de Maigret, April 2010.

Cf. Whitehouse, D., Roman Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, vol.2, New York, 2001, item 631, for type.

The neck has the appearance of having been reduced in height and ground off flat at the rim, while the applied handles are an unusual feature on this type of vessel. The examples in the Corning Museum have a much taller neck and flared rim to the mouth.

With broad body and dimpled base, swept curve shoulder and tapering neck, everted rolled rim. 12.1 grams, 63 mm

UK private collection before 2000.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Property of a London gentleman.

Cf. Lightfoot, C.S., Ancient Glass in National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, 2007, item 368, for type.

Globular in profile with wide double-stepped rolled rim, applied wavy line trails forming a gallery from rim to body, pinched diagonal ribs to outer face and dimple to the underside; supplied with a custom-made stand. 46 grams, 74 mm wide (125 grams, 85 mm high including stand)

From the glass collection of a London gentleman, UK, 1990s.

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum, accession number 74.51.197, for similar.

Domed phalera with field of radiating bosses in varying sizes, central tondo with profile female bust; four attachment points to the reverse. 120 grams, 77 mm

Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s.
Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent.
Private collection, since the late 1990s.

Cf. similar less ornate example in the British Museum under accession no.1854,0717.23.

Rectangular in plan with tapering sides and flared stub feet; separate lid with chamfered sides; sidewalls decorated with low-relief border of knotwork surrounding roundels with geometric and floral ornament, with a cross motif above and below; iron securing strips to the lid and side; underside with knotwork panel. 959 grams, 14.3 cm

UK private collection before 2000.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Property of a London gentleman.

Piriform in plan with two small circular filling holes; rounded nozzle and basal ring with concentric rings; raised Christogram between the filling holes and raised ivy-leaf motifs. 173 grams, 14.7 cm

Marceaux Collection, France.
Private collection Mr. D, France, before 2000.

Cf. Rosenthal, R. & Sivan, R., Ancient Lamps in the Schloessinger Collection, 1981, items 491-495, for type.

Fitted with two channels running to a central circlet with the image of a saint cavalryman in the centre, surrounded by Greek letters A, O, O, E, C, OS, E, O; small holes to three of the corners for insertion of pegs. 136 grams, 79 mm

UK private collection before 2000.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Property of a London gentleman.

Cf. Adam-Veleni, P., Mylopoulos, Y., The Metro-nome of Thessaloniki’s History, Thessaloniki, 2018, p.167, for similar moulds.

Plates from mid-period jewellery moulds (10th-12th centuries) with the imprint of the jewellery to be made carved into one or both of the surfaces (earrings, buckles, clasps, beads of necklaces, etc.) were usually made of graphite schist, or other rocks. The plates were bound together in twos or threes by lead pins and the liquid metal was injected via conical openings. Similar tools were found in the 10th-12th levels of Thessaloniki.