Celtic Iron Age Bronze Cosmetic Grinder Bowl

Complete with swivel bar and pin to reverse; the cruciform body composed of four bulbous arms with concave reverses and domed centre; Type 2Bb2. 17.1 grams, 23 mm



Found Berkshire, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.BERK-4EFFC6.

Designated 'a find of note' by the PAS and 'potential for inclusion in Britannia'. The PAS record also states: 'The style of the brooch suggests an Iron Age date but it is a very unusual style of brooch and no comparisons could be found in any of Hattatt's publications. There are two similar brooches recorded on the database; BUC-ED2437 is very similar, and WAW-DD1642 is also a related type. In this record, it is noted that the brooch style shares decorative similarities to the hangers from a chatelaine/distributor from Giubiasco, Switzerland (Jope, E.M. 2000 Early Celtic Art in the British Isles Clarendon Press Oxford, p. 285 No. 225 h).' The production of brooches began in around the 5th century B.C. This 'Vale' type has only been recognised as a regional type relatively recently.

S-shaped with scrolled flourishes to the dragon-head terminals, remains of inlaid blue and red enamelling to the stylised beast heads, wave and lozenge ornament to the body; free-running tongue with head coiled around the neck of one of the creatures; Romano-British. 24.9 grams, 60 mm



Found Lincolnshire, UK.

Such fibulae served functional and decorative purposes; the curved pin would have fastened pieces of cloth. They were worn singly or as pairs.

The penannular body formed with recurved terminals and graduated biconical bulbs. 366 grams, 16 cm



Ex old English collection. London art market, 1980s.