Roman Bronze Crouching Bear Mascot Figure

Comprising a circular medallion from an architectural frieze, representing a mask crowned by vegetable curls and volutes, the edges marked with a double line. 1 kg, 19.5 cm



Acquired from Millon Arts D'Orient. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

The medallion partially corresponds to some faces visible on the clay antefixes on the temple of Isis in Pompeii. The antefix was a roof covering element placed on the end of roof beams or as an occlusion of the terminal channels of the tiles in Greek, Etruscan and Roman buildings.

With facetted shank and fluted shoulders, rectangular bezel with outer bands and central plaque bearing two lines of impressed points. 5.97 grams, 23.03 mm overall, 16.64 mm internal diameter (approximate size British G, USA 3 1/4, Europe 4.92, Japan 4)



From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.

Comprising four flat-section bracelets with overlapping rounded terminals. 68 grams total, 61-71 mm



From the family collection of a Surrey gentleman since before 1960.

Bracelets were worn in Rome by ladies of rank, but it was considered a mark of effeminacy for civilian men to use such female ornaments (Suetonius, Caligula, 52; Nero, 30). The armillae (or psellia in Greek) were rings and bracelets worn by women in the Graeco-Roman world on both legs and arms. Homer mentions them (elikas) as being part of the hairstyle of the divine Aphrodite, thus giving an almost sacred character to these objects. There were different types, the most common consisting of a more or less thick metal wire, or a flat or cylindrical circle, like our examples.