Roman Bronze Basket-Vase

Tongue-shaped with central repoussé motif of Hercules standing nude on a plinth supporting his club and with lionskin mantle draped over his bent forearm; rectangular frame surrounding; traces of similar frames to both sides; six holes for attachment. 30 grams, 99 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

The panel has clearly been cut from a larger sheet of silver which was stamped with low-relief figures: to the left of Hercules is a frame with fronds at the top and the bent arms of a figure wearing a palla.

A substantial hollow-form ring with a hexagonal plaque to the base of the hoop, expanding shoulders with a low-relief image of a standing nude goddess; raised oval bezel with an applied repoussé disc of a warship to each end; applied bezel with a chiselled image of god of the sea Neptune facing right, depicted with thick, lustrous beard and hair, the hair tied with a thin ribbon. 7.40 grams, 37.31 mm overall, 22.71 x 27.56 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Z+3, USA 13 3/4, Europe 32.57, Japan 31)



Ex Angelopolo collection, Vienna. Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12571-232087. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The ring carries a rare combination of the god Neptune (Greek Poseidon) with two warships. This can only mean that it belonged to a navarcha, a commander of a fleet or a warship. In the turbulent era of the civil wars that followed the death of Caesar, important naval conflicts sealed the fate of the Roman Res Publica. Sextus Pompeius, son of the great Pompey, was able to build a naval power in the South of the Italian Peninsula, especially in Sicily, adopting the image of the god Neptune who - with an image very similar to that of our ring - was represented on the coins he minted, together with naval triumphs and warships. The ships depicted on the ring belong to the Liburna type, protagonist of the famous battle of Actium in 31 B.C. They were smaller and faster ships, armed with 82 oars disposed upon two orders, about 33 meters long, with 114 oarsmen, 10-15 sailors, and 40 marines. The Liburna’s hull had a pointed, streamlined prow built for speed, as well a fully-detailed ram (rostrum).

Formed as the bust of Eros looking upwards, with stub wings to his shoulders, holding a goose to his chest; conical socket above each wing; eyes with silver inserts; old collector's label '1994 51.75' to the reverse; mounted on a custom-made stand; likely a socket base. 515 grams total, 11.9 cm wide (740 grams total, 14 cm high including stand)



with Sotheby's, London, 23 May 1988, no.234. Ex Joel L. Malter & Co., Encino, California, USA, Auction XLV, 28 May 1991, no.902. Ex Bruce A. Kamerling collection. Acquired from Royal Athena Galleries, New York, 26 June 1994. The Haggin Museum, Stockton, California. Property deaccessioned from the Haggin Museum, Stockton, California, USA. Bonhams, Antiquities, 23 May 2012, no.121. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13126-247737.