Roman Bone Dice Pair

A garnet cabochon with intaglio satyr traveller advancing with staff and pouch over his shoulder, set into a later gold finger ring. 8.22 grams, 27.20 mm overall, 22.95 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11619-199018.

The subject was popular on Roman gems: Silenus and the satyrs, grotesque hedonists, unrestrained in their desire for sex and wine, and yet immortal companions of Dionysus, were considered ‘cruder than men and yet somehow wiser, combining mischief with wisdom, lewdness with skill in music, animalism with divinity'. The counterpoint of the divine and the atavistic appealed to the Roman sense of moral superiority.

A gold finger ring with flared shoulders, ellipsoid inset haematite intaglio profile bust of young Herakles. 6.63 grams, 21.95 mm overall, 16.32 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I, USA 4 1/4, Europe 7.44, Japan 7)



Private European collection, acquired 2001.

A group of five white marble human limb fragments with simple anatomical detailing: a left hand holding an enigmatic object; a left arm and hand with the remains of the fingers held open; a right leg with ankle and remains of the foot; a right arm and hand modelled held palm-downwards; a right hand modelled with fingers extended, remains of iron rod. 975 grams total, 9.8-12 cm



New York art market, 1992.