British Celtic Enamelled Bronze Trefoil Mount

Depicted in a dynamic pose with its front legs raised and the weight of the body borne on its hind legs, flared nostrils and large, round eyes; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 165 grams total, 73 mm wide including stand



Found Hampshire, UK, in the 1980s. From the collection of the late David Miller of Hemel Hempstead, UK, and a Cambridge collection of the 2000s. Accompanied by a previously illustrated catalogue card with provenance. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13378-258774.

The small statuettes of boars found in Roman Britain and Gaul were likely used as votive figurines for cult places. They were widespread in the Roman provinces of Celtic origin. However, one cannot exclude the fact that many boars found in Britain belong to the pre-conquest era. One of the few types of bronze figurines that are known to precede the arrival of the Romans is, in fact, that of the boars.

Button-and-loop fastener with D-section segmented face, flared arm with round-section attachment loop. 17.5 grams, 28 mm



Found Wilden, Bedfordshire, UK. Recorded with UKDFD no.53478.

Robust ring of octagonal section, fashioned from drawn and hammered wire, the hoop terminating in tightly coiled spirals, which flank a rectangular ornament soldered across the bezel, recalling a miniature axe-head; the coils further reinforced with wrapped silver wire, securing the decorative composition. 8.30 grams, 28.40 mm overall, 21.70 x 19.32 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T 1/2, USA 9 3/4, Europe 21.89, Japan 21)



Bonhams, Fine Antiquities, 4 July 1998, no.19. Private collection, UK, 1990s. with Rupert Wace Ancient Art Ltd, London. with Ariadne Galleries, New York and London, acquired from the above at TEFAF 2014, New York. Private American collection, acquired from the above, 23 January 2017.

This ring belongs to the repertoire of autochthonous Balkan silverwork that flourished from the Roman conquest through the mid-3rd century. The type is closely related to ornaments documented in the Tekija and Bare hoards, where bracelets and rings with spiral-wrapped ends and miniature axes appear as apotropaic symbols. While the axe motif was deeply embedded in Dacian and Balkan visual culture, its execution here in silver, combined with wire wrapping and spiralled terminals, reflects the enduring influence of Hellenistic toreutics upon local craftsmanship. Rather than a Viking jewel, the ring finds its most convincing parallels among the Balkan-Danubian silver hoards of the early Roman Empire.