Roman Bone Gaming Die

With chord, spring and pin attached to the trumpet-shaped headplate; collar to bow and lentoid panel below with notched edges and reserved meander to the vertical axis; catchplate projecting from the reverse. 4.46 grams, 32 mm



Acquired London, UK, circa 1974. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman.

A substantial hollow-form figure of Juno (Greek Hera) standing with right hand in gripping pose, left hand extended palm-upwards, engraved collar to the neck and diadem to the hair, palla gathered at the waist, slipping from the right shoulder; mounted on a custom-made stand. 693 grams total, 25 cm high including stand



Horatio and Patsy Melas Collection, Alexandria and later Switzerland, acquired by 1960 and until 1989. Kyros Melas Collection, London, 1989 until 1999. with Bonhams, Knightsbridge, 21 October 1999, no.178 [£6,000-£8,000]. Private collection, London. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13308-258228.

The figure's pose recalls that of the statue of Juno Sospita in the Vatican Museum, Rome, inv. no.241. Horatio Melas was born in 1904 into a family of Greek merchants established in Alexandria, Egypt. It was there that he met and, in 1960, married Patsy, and together they maintained the family collection. Following the family's departure from Egypt in 1967, the collection was relocated to Switzerland, remaining there until 1989, when their son, Kyros Melas, settled in London. Kyros, who worked in the City as a private equity trader, continued to care for the collection and occasionally added to it during the 1990s.

Mainly composed of black and brown beads with some facetted beads, the central feature composed of three large later beads; restrung. 23.2 grams, 37.7 cm



Acquired in the 1990s. Ex London, UK, collection.