Loading, please wait...
_900x900.jpg "Roman Bronze Armour Double Fastening Hook")
_200x200.jpg "Roman Bronze Armour Double Fastening Hook")
.jpg "Roman Bronze Armour Double Fastening Hook")
LOT 1075
Roman Bronze Armour Double Fastening Hook
1ST CENTURY A.D.
2 3/4 in. (33 grams total, 70 mm each).
Each a scrolled and angled bar tapering to a gently carinated zoomorphic terminal, formed as a serpent or other animal with stylised geometric detailing; attachment perforations to both terminals. [2 3/4 in.]
ProvenanceAcquired on the London art market, 1980s-1990s.
LiteratureCf. D'Amato, R. and Sumner, G., Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier: From Marius to Commodus, 112 BC-AD 192, London, 2009, fig.160, for similar double fastening hooks.
FootnotesIn the 1st century B.C.-1st century A.D., the Celtic fastening system of the ring mail armour (gallica, lorica ferro aspera) became the standard in the Imperial Roman army, with a pivot attached to the breast and hinged to the edges of the humeralia (shoulder guards). The chest fastener had various different designs. The double hooks, S-shaped and usually with snake-head terminals, were secured by a central rivet on the chest. The system allowed excellent freedom of movement, giving greater protection to the shoulders and the arms. Similar fasteners for infantry mail have been found on the Kalkriese battlefield, some of them also decorated with niello and inscribed with the name of the soldier.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Massive Late European Bronze Age Finely Ribbed Socketted Spearhead
Circa 10th century B.C.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Formed with an elongated leaf-shaped blade, the socket extending into the blade in the form of a tapered mid-rib with decorative raised central grooves. 449 grams, 45 cm
Acquired from John Cummings, UK, in 1988. Ex Lord Alistair McAlpine collection.
This spear seems to have parallels to those found in the tombs of the 'sword bearers' of central-southern Europe, an aristocratic class of the Urn Fields civilisation who had its last period of splendour between 10th-9th centuries B.C. The weapons were deposited with various objects inside incineration graves, but the spears were often ritually damaged (see tomb 5 of the necropolis of Pontenuovo di Gazzo Veronese, broken into three parts). Our spear, in the upper part, seems to show traces of oxidation due to the fire of the funeral pyre, and probably came from a tomb. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Pear-shaped ceramic vessel with domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 640 grams, 13.5 cm
Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. Such were the γανωτα, vessels (sometimes also of bronze) used for Greek fire. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form. -
Post Medieval Spanish 'Conquistador' Cuirass Set
17th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,510
The breastplate with pronounced vertical rib and two rivets to front, roll at neck and splay at base with rivets to full perimeter, with inked accession numbers '21238A' (crossed through) and 'SDM - EW1' above '1931 - 30 - 6, a' and inked handwritten paper label reading 'Old Spanish Armour (Conquistador) / Found with remains of Spanish Galleon on / the estate of Leakin family (Georgia) coast. / about 1870. Refer to Trinity College Hertford Ct. / for information in Leakin family. / Given originally to Mrs Mark Howden (Hartford Ct.) / [ ] when I was 7 years old. / Luke W Lee 1944' in eight lines and also with chalked 'Old Spanish Armour / from Georgia 1944' inscription in two lines; the backplate generally matching but with vertical groove at centre and no splay at base, with inked accession numbers '31238B' (crossed through) and 'SDM - EW1' above '1951 - 30 - 6, b'. 3.3 kg, 42.5 cm high
From a Southern Californian museum, with accession numbers. Ex American collector. Acquired from TimeLine Auctions, UK, 2018, lot 181. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.204020.
Trinity College, Hartford was founded in 1823; further research in their archives could provide more information on this cuirass set and the site of the 'Spanish galleon' shipwreck discovered in about 1870.
