Loading, please wait...
LOT 0137
Roman Bronze Head Mount of Oceanus
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
3 1/4 in. (68.2 grams total, 83 mm including stand).
Bust of Oceanus in high-relief, hollow to the reverse, with flowing hair and beard, large lentoid eyes and broad nose, with crab/lobster claws emerging from his locks; mounted on a custom-made stand. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceIdentified by the British Museum as depicting Oceanus on 8th January 1996.
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.
Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum letter dated 8th January 1996.
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Roman Glass Grape Flask
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £598
Narrow mouth with squared rim, short cylindrical neck extending to a wide shoulder with applied strap handles, the ovoid body moulded with ten rows of stylised grapes; some iridescence; old collector''s label to underside '4187 TD'. 50 grams, 97 mm
From the private collection of a French Count in the 19th century. Ex Thierry de Maigret, April 2010.
The neck has the appearance of having been reduced in height and ground off flat at the rim, while the applied handles are an unusual feature on this type of vessel. The examples in the Corning Museum have a much taller neck and flared rim to the mouth. -
Large Roman Bronze Staff Finial with Bust of Serapis
Circa 2nd century A.D.Estimate: £50,000 - 70,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £22,222
With luxuriant long wavy hair and characteristic vertical locks at the forehead, full beard with two large ringlets below the chin, wearing a chiton and a himation draped over the left shoulder, the head surmounted by a corn modius decorated with olive branch in relief, the bust supported on the back of an eagle standing atop an orb with spread wings, the eagle with its head slightly turned to the left, the feathers finely detailed; a finial from a staff or a ceremonial standard; repaired. 1.4 kg, 29.5 cm high
Repaired.
Ex private collection, South Germany, 1980. with Gorny and Mosch, Munich, 13 December 2003, no.74. with Christie's, New York, 8 June 2012, no.239 (US $120,000-180,000). 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 search certificate number no.11789-206489.
The Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211 A.D.) modelled many of his portraits based on Serapis. But it was under Hadrian that the refurbishment of the statue in the Serapeum increased the demand for small-scale images, like this one, probably made during his reign and used atop of a processional sceptre or standard for the cult of the god. -
Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Bust of Sol
Circa mid 1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Mould made, filling-hole to the centre, slim ogival nozzle with simplified shoulder-volutes, discus iconography a bust of Sol with seven rays radiating from his head, base with one circular groove and impressed Greek letter H (capital eta). 54 grams, 84 mm
From a 1990s German collection. Ex London, UK, gallery.
The lamp belongs to the Loeschke type V (Bailey type C), group without handle. The main difference of this group from the Loeschke type IV is the shape of the volutes decorating the nozzle. They are called ‘shoulder-volutes’ because they end the lamp’s shoulder that they prolong. The decorative motif is Sol with radiate nimbus, already visible on these lamps and other Roman artworks in mid 1st century A.D.
