Roman Bronze Bust of Isis

Globular, thick-walled body with spiral ribs; short neck constricted at the bottom leaving only a narrow opening allowing the controlled release of precious oils drop by drop; broad mouth with folded and everted rim; old label to base 'N-14295'. 49.7 grams, 69 mm



Ex Dr F.J.U.M.E, Wehr, acquired 1980 from Galerie am Museum, Freiburg, Germany. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Hollow-formed with fine detailing to the fingers and nails; with fixing points for a military standard (signum) used by each unit under a centurion, originally fixed with the palm facing forwards inside a wreath. 718 grams, 21 cm



Acquired in Europe before 2000. European private collection. 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.12003-211851. 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.

Roman military signa decorated by phalerae and surmounted by a right hand were used from the Late Consular Age. The hand (manus) symbolised the fides, i.e. the allegiance between the soldiers and the Res Publica. It is also possible that the hand belonged to a statue in which it was extended as a sign of silence, to allow the speaker to speak. However, the iconography of military hands, and also the resemblance to a bronze hand (military signum) preserved in the Vindonissa museum (Windisch), support the possibility that the object was part of a military standard.

Hexagonal in plan with tall tubular neck and flared and folded rim, disc base with moulding seams; broad sloping shoulder above a sidewall of panels each with a low-relief avian image (bird in flight, bird perching on a branch, etc.). 31 grams, 80 mm



Ex private collection, Israel. Acquired from Archaeological Center, Auction 60, no.204. Private collection. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Archaeological Center online catalogue page. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12530-232177. 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.