Roman Bronze Head of a Dolphin

Penannular in form with kite-shaped terminals representing serpents' heads, punched ring-and-dot and pricked dot ornament forming the stylised head and scale detailing. 8 grams, 66 mm



Ex North American private collection. Acquired privately on the European art market in the 1990s. Property of a Buckinghamshire, UK, gentleman.

Fragment or portion of floor mosaic, showing a composition of alternated patterns of different coloured squares in chequerboard pattern, combined in diagonal rows of light yellow, light blue, off-white, pink, red, light violet, again off-white, light grey, light grey, dark grey, off-white, light yellow (repeated two times) light blue and off-white shadows; on the lower part a red line is edging the composition over an off-white band. 82.5 kg, 156 cm wide including frame



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11822-207409.

The square-decorated mosaics had a strong presence in the Hispanic provinces, with some 1st century A.D. examples in the houses of Ampurias, up to the late imperial examples of the Villa of Palencia (archaeological site of La Tejada) where the main rooms show wall paintings with geometric, vegetal or decorations imitating marbles, and mosaics with simple geometric decorations alternating with elegant decorative motifs such as swastikas, chequered motifs or ropes, and Solomonic symbols. The chequerboard motif was widespread, and it is visible also in the 3rd-4rd century mosaic of the Roman Villa of Brading or in the house found under the Museum of Lincoln, in Britain.

Comprising complete and fragmentary examples, most with decorative bezels, including: glass intaglio; olive branch; zoomorphs and geometric designs, together with other enigmatic motifs. 42 grams total, 15-23 mm



Acquired Stacey's Auctions, Rayleigh, Essex, UK. Property of a Essex gentleman.