Roman and Other Ancient Bead Group

Tubular in construction with domed lid, sidewall with repoussé arcade frieze depicting Mercury with caduceus, Fortuna with cornucopia, Mars with spear, Minerva with helmet, shield and spear, Juno enthroned; some restoration. 33 grams, 67 mm



Acquired from Trinity Antiques, UK, before 2009. Property of a Bedfordshire, UK, private collector. Accompanied by an illustrated collector's identification tag. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The bowl with a wide flat bottom and convex sides; the inside with incised concentric circles; flat handle with raised edges and hooked finial for suspension. 483 grams, 39.5 cm



German private collection, Mr O., collecting in the 1950s-1960s; thence by descent. with Bonhams, London, 7 July 2016, lot 191 (£3,000-5,000). Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams printed catalogue pages (full page). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11735-201189. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

This vessel was part of Roman and provincial bronze instrumentum domesticum, i.e. culinary or domestic utility ware. Such cooking vessels are rare: some are found in central and northern Italy, in Pannonia, Germany and in Britain. The Aylesford Pan, today in the British Museum (inventory no.1886.1112.1), is one of the most important finds. This specimen (Eggers type 130), probably pre-Caesarian or Caesarian, was found in a grave together with a Celtic bucket and a jug.

Frieze fragment with bust of a male in animated pose, head tilted upwards and eyes wide open; the hair executed in successive curly waves around the thick brow, the broad nose merging into the small open mouth; short curly beard on the neck but face clean-shaven; with steel mounting rod beneath. 9.85 kg, 31 cm



Private collection of a sculptor, Munich; acquired in the 1970s on the Munich art market (Ohlendorf). Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00044779. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12478-228802. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The subject seems to be a retainer of military commanders, usually represented on their sarcophagi in wild hunting parties where men, lions and boars fight. It is highly probable that the head was originally from a massive sarcophagus of a general, like the one in Palazzo Mattei in Rome.