Roman Blue and Crimson Glass Bead Necklace String

Modelled in the round in alert pose with head raised and slightly turned; hair texture to the forehead, neck and shoulders; mounted on a custom-made stand. 2.3 kg total, 20 cm including stand



Art market, Bavaria, 1990s. with Christie's, New York, 7 December 2011, no.188. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00122050. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12962-245248.

After the Roman annexation of Egypt, Egyptian cults such as that of the Apis bull were syncretised, becoming part of a distinctively Egyptian form of Roman polytheism. Representations of prancing Apis bulls, turned either left or right, have been found throughout the Roman Empire. However, it is also possible that this beautiful statuette is connected with the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus, where the armed god is usually standing upon a bull.

With plano-convex body and dimple base, tall slender neck, folded rim; iridescent green surface. 78 grams, 15 cm



From an important London collection of glass, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

This kind of toilet bottle was called ‘candlestick unguentarium’ by the academics due to the shape of its neck. This specific type, with its transparent grayish green glass, is especially found in Roman Cyprus (Hayes's fabric 2 of Cypriot blown glass).

Flat-section penannular body, angled bezel with a low-relief beetle motif. 0.43 grams, 20.35 mm overall, 15.99 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I 1/2, USA 4 1/2, Europe 8.07, Japan 7)



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.