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LOT 0666
Roman Bronze Crossbow Brooch
4TH CENTURY A.D.
3 in. (47.5 grams, 78 mm).
With onion-knop finials, gusset to the bow, chamfered sections to the foot, hinged pin to the reverse. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Cf. Beck, H. et al., Fibel und Fibeltracht, Berlin, 2000, fig.119(7), for type.
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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Late Roman Bronze Horse Harness Phalera with Horse Heads
4th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £494
Formed as a six-spoked wheel with raised rim to the hub and wreath detailing to the rim and spokes; rectangular slot above flanked by two addorsed horse-heads; ferrous spike to centre. 283 grams, 11.9 cm
From an English private collection, 1980s. Property of a London, UK, antiquarian. -
Roman Glass Sprinkler Vessel
3rd-4th century A.D.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
Globular body with pinched vertical ribs; short neck constricted at the bottom to leave only a narrow opening allowing the controlled release of precious oils drop by drop; broad mouth with folded and everted rim. 26 grams, 77 mm
From a specialist collection of glass, acquired from dealerships during the 1990s. -
Roman Sidonian Opaque Light Blue Glass Flask
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
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.
Roman opaque glass attributed to the Sidonian workshops represents one of the most technically sophisticated achievements of early Imperial glassmaking. Produced in the Levant, long a centre of innovation, the workshops at Sidon were renowned for their mastery of colour chemistry, using controlled additions of antimony-and-tin-based opacifiers to create surfaces resembling fine stone or enamel. These vessels were not merely utilitarian objects but markers of status, admired in antiquity for their vibrant hues and precision of manufacture. Examples such as the present piece illustrate the transition of glass from a luxury comparable to carved hardstone to an art form that could be shaped, coloured, and refined with unprecedented freedom, underscoring the pivotal role of Sidon in the evolution of Roman glass technology.
