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LOT 0132
Larger Than Lifesize Roman Marble Thumb
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D.
4 in. (172 grams, 10 cm high).
Carved marble thumb and portion of the adjacent left hand.
ProvenanceEx Cummings collection, UK, 1990s.
LiteratureSee for a similar colossal thumb sculpture the left hand of Constantine the Great in Parisi Presicce, C., ‘L’abbandono della moderazione: I ritratti di Costantino e della sua progenie’ in Donati, A., Gentili, G., Costantino Il Grande, la civilta' Antica al bivio fra Occidente ed Oriente, Milano, 2005, pp.138-155, pp.144,153.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
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Roman Bronze Ladle with Twisted Handle
2nd century B.C.- 1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
With deep bowl, integral bronze handle twisted about it own axis, loop finial. 77 grams, 26.2 cm
UK private collection before 2000. UK art market. Property of a London gentleman. -
Roman Carnelian Hare Amulet
Circa 1st-2nd century A.D.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £300
Carved in the round with sockets to the eyes for insertion of a contrasting material; mounted in a wooden stand. 19 grams total, 27 mm
French private collection. UK art market. Property of a London gentleman. -
Roman Redware Ram Pottery Sherd
Circa 4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Fragment of a terracotta votive statuette representing a ram, detail to the horns, ears and fleece; set with a suspension ring on the reverse. 50 grams, 77 mm wide
Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.
Many figurines of this type have been found in the Hellenised Roman provinces of the east and one identical in the Athenian Agora. They are all rendered with incisions that are characteristic of the technique of the late fourth century. Many similar examples were found in the Kerameikos and some are in the National Museum of Archaeology, Athens. A similar technique is observable in the plastic handles representing animal heads which occur on red pottery ornamented with white paint.
