Late Roman Jewish Menorah Wine Stamp Seal

4TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.

2 3/8 in. (46.3 grams, 59 mm).

With a rectangular body and loop handle, the underside with a Menorah on a tripod base, a shofar on the left, a lulav and a shovel to the right.

Provenance

From a private family collection formed since the early 19th century, thence by descent.
Property of a New Zealand legal professional.

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.12324-223712.

Literature

Cf. Grossman, C., The Collector's Room: Selections from the Michael and Judy Steinhardt Collection, New York, 1993, no.104; Friedenberg, D.M., ‘The Evolution and Uses of Jewish Byzantine Stamp Seals’, in The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery, vol. 52/53, 1994/1995, p. 11, no. 3; see also a similar stamp auctioned in Christie's, Antiquities, New York, 13 Dec 2013, New York, 2013, lot.167.

Footnotes

According to Friedenberg and A. Reifenberg, unlike the Roman Christian counterparts, stamps such as the present example were likely used on the stoppers of wine amphorae rather than to stamp bread. They were used to seal the wine amphora to guarantee the purity of the wine as sanctioned by the Talmud.

CONDITION

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LOT 0217