Roman Bronze Bow Brooch

Comprising an elegantly carved lower part of the calf and foot, a detailed rendering of the toes; the proportions suggesting that the subject was a child or a young woman; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 771 grams total, 15 cm high including stand



Nicolas Koutoulakis (1910-1996), thence by descent. Ex Galerie Dominique Thirion, Brussels, 1990s. Private collection of Mr K.A., France. with Kallos Gallery, London, UK. 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 a search certificate number no.13010-246748.

The foot was a prominent feature on sculptures: more susceptible to weathering and the ravages of time than a head or a torso, the fragments that survive are often badly damaged. It is also possible that this piece belonged to a sculpture created via the acrolith technique, in which the sculptor focused his attention solely on the unclothed parts of the figure, which were made from a more valuable material than the rest of the piece.

The hoop expanding towards the shoulders, with an oval bezel with an incuse image of a lion. 4.20 grams, 23.11 mm overall, 20.35 x 15.45 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M, USA 6, Europe 12.46, Japan 12)



Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, Suffolk, UK.

Plate brooch with concentric lines around a raised boss; pin-lugs, pin and catchplate to the reverse. 5.77 grams, 29 mm



From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the mid 1980s.