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LOT 0731
Roman Blue Glass Vessel with Vine Leaf Design
EARLY 1ST CENTURY A.D. AND LATER
4 3/4 in. (189 grams, 12 cm high).
A blue glass bottle of piriform shape with iridescent surfaces, decorated with later applied fruiting vines in high-relief, a stylised leaf to the vessel base; restored; rim chipped.
ProvenanceAcquired in the 1970s.
English private collection.
Cf. Lightfoot, C.S., Ancient Glass in the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, 2007, items 226, 270, for type; Whitehouse, D., Roman Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass, vol.2, New York, 2001, item 649, for technique.
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
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0731
Roman Blue Glass Vessel with Vine Leaf Design
Estimate £800 - 1,000€930 - 1,160 (for guidance only)$1,080 - 1,350 (for guidance only)
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Roman Nude Crouching Woman Gaming Piece
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,755
A bronze figure or gaming piece of a nude female in crouching pose with hands placed on the hips, possibly giving birth; the hair shown drawn up in a bun, segmented armband to each upper arm. 30.4 grams, 28 mm high
Private Swiss collection, acquired 2002.
The dice features six attitudes on which it could land when rolled, one of which includes the figure's head. The earliest concrete historical evidence of games played with dice originated from ancient Egypt, circa 3000 B.C., although it is generally believed by historians that dice pre-dated the ancient Egyptian civilisation. The Romans played two games using dice: Tali and Tesserae. The former originated in Greece and features four animal bones. The aim was to roll in such a way that each die displayed a different number-the higher the combined number, the greater the score. The latter was played using three dice, the goal being to roll triple six, or to achieve the highest combined numbers out of the contestants; it was a game of chance and the most common street and tavern gambling game in ancient Rome. ‘Dogs’ referred to poor scores and ‘Venus’ to high ones. Roman players rolled dice from a special cup called a fritillium onto wood, bronze, or marble boards, depending on their class and wealth. Roman elites boasted ornate boards inscribed with their names. The gambling which ensued from dice games caused extreme social issues in Roman society, leading the government to eventually outlaw dice games, although these laws were largely ignored. -
Roman Gold Ring with Garnet Cabochon
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £780
A hollow-formed gold finger ring with inset cabochon garnet. 2.11 grams, 21.42 mm overall, 16.92 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L, USA 5 3/4, Europe 11.24, Japan 10)
Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998. -
Roman and Other Mixed Bead Group
Mainly early 1st millennium A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £229
A mixed group of beads including tabular, oblate, melon, fusiform and other types in glass, onyx, crystal, faience, shell and other materials. 288 grams total, 2-28 mm
Fair condition.
Abelita family collection, 1980-2015.
