LOT 0189

Large Roman Bronze Basket-Vase with Swinging Handles

ROMAN IMPERIAL, 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.

11 in. (1.68 kg, 28 cm).

Ellipsoid in plan, with a low basal ring, thick convex rim, and carination towards the front, lateral hinges, the knuckles formed as addorsed duck-heads, each with silver-inlaid eyes, a scrolled panel to the rear retaining the pivot of the ribbed D-shaped handles.

Acquired in Switzerland, 1996.
Private collection, Europe.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate dated 30th April 2004.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12363-226688.

Cf. a similar model from the House of Menander in Pompei is preserved in the Pompei Archaeological Museum; see Tassinari, S., La Vaisselle de bronze, Romaine et provincial, au muse des Antiquités Nationales, Paris, 1975, no.104, for examples of Roman trays; cf. also a similar lekanis in the Cycladic Art Museum, inv.no.ΝΓ0736; and another one in the Metropolitan Museum, inv. no.1989.281.86.

This vessel (lanx) was part of Roman and provincial bronze instrumentum domesticum, i.e. culinary or domestic utility ware. The form of the bowl resembles a type of helmet with carination to the front, the handles placed as hinged cheek-protectors.