Roman Bronze Brooch and Other Item Group

Depicted as a bearded man, seated and naked apart from a hood or cap on his head, with rope binding the hands together and extending around the neck and ankles; ferrous stud to the back for attachment. 24.3 grams, 37 mm



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Statuettes of barbarian prisoners of this type have been found especially along the Danube limes. Some have a vertical and others horizontal position, and were used as horse harnesses or parts of horse's bits. Their diffusion coincides with the Marcomannic wars of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Comprising two matching solid hoops with expanding shoulders, each set with a dark blue nicolo intaglio, one bearing a profile bust of a young Hercules, and the other with a profile bust of a woman wearing a taenia or a wreath on her head. 12.83 grams total, 20.25 mm overall, 15.50 mm internal diameter (approximate size British G, USA 3 1/4, Europe 4.92, Japan 4) 20.86 mm overall, 16.35 mm internal diameter (approximate size British H, USA 3 3/4, Europe 6.18, Japan 6)



From the private collection of the late A.B., London, UK; acquired before 1989. Accompanied from an archaeological report of 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.12006-213034.

The iconography here is simple, possibly referring to a married couple, or to important public persons. The 5th century Roman writer Macrobius wrote that the engagement ring was worn on the fourth finger. Legend has it that the vena amoris, literally the ‘vein of love’, ran from the heart to the fourth finger of the left hand. Gemstones and fancy embellishments have been found in Roman rings of every age, although usually for engagement or wedding rings the iconography of clasped hands, symbolising the ‘fides’ among the spouses, was used. Intaglio portraits were engraved into a large variety of stones but nicolo, carnelian and red jasper were generally the most popular for imperial portraits or for the members of the imperial family.

Comprising: two bow brooches; an equal-arm brooch with incised decoration; a large portion of a Saxon cruciform brooch; a brooch with a teardrop-shaped cell; a hybrid brooch with enamelled lozenge-shaped central plate. 62 grams total, 31-61 mm



Ex Hansons Auctions, Derbyshire, UK. Property of a Shropshire private collector. Accompanied by an old identification ticket for the equal-armed brooch.