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LOT 0744
Roman Bronze Crossbow Brooch
4TH CENTURY A.D.
2 in. (30.18 grams, 51 mm).
With onion-shaped knops to the crossbar and pierced lug to centre, deep bow, trapezoidal foot with notched edges; integral catch; hinged pin to reverse; Keller Type 4. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Cf. Mackreth, D.F., Brooches in Late Iron Age and Roman Britain, Oxford, 2011, vol.2, pl.140, item 12576.
FootnotesThe pierced lug at the top of the bow must have been a later addition in antiquity after the loss of the original knop.
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:
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Roman and Other Blue Glass Bead Necklace String
1st-4th century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £59
Composed of small annular beads with larger beads as a central feature; restrung with a clasp. 7.29 grams, 45.5 cm
From London, UK, gallery collection, 1990s. -
Life-Size Roman Marble Torso of a Ram
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £41,600
The naturalistic rendering of the animal is particularly evident in the modelling of the muscles and shaggy fur, which originally belonged to a multi-figure group intended for prominent display in an official space, such as a public bath, or in the private gardens of a luxurious villa; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 155 kg, 89 cm (long), 41 cm (high) excluding stand
Acquired in Brussels, circa 1980. with Christie's, South Kensington, 6 October 2011, no.121. Jean-David Cahn AG, Basel, Switzerland. Private collection, England. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00074876. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13079-249669.
The sculpture may represent the goat Amalthea, nurse of Zeus, one of the most famous animals in Graeco-Roman mythology. At the same time, it could simply be a representation of a ram, an animal typically sculpted in sacrificial reliefs of the Roman world. -
Roman Bronze Artefact Collection
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Including two seal box lids and other items. 30.69 grams total, 27-79 mm
Found Norfolk, UK.
