Roman Bronze Horse Plate Brooch

Carved in the round with dressed hair and braided band with fanned closure above the brow; finely modelled facial detailing; mounted on a custom-made stand. 24.5 kg total, 41 cm including stand



From the collection of L.V. (1950-1960), Paris, France. Collection of Monsieur X. (1931-2017), dispersed for the benefit of the Monaco Red Cross. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.229089.

The portrait is of an idealised feminine head, probably modelled on an Aphrodite type, with the hair in a bun on the nape, adorned with circles and with a tuft knotted at the top of the forehead, re-used as a portrait of a Roman lady. Many statue types were used both for portraits of women of the imperial family and for the portraits of other women, some of them based on images of goddesses.

Group of belt fitting comprising: kidney-shaped buckle with tongue and square plate with studs; 'amphora-type' strap end with pierced and split upper end; silver letter-shaped plaques each with attachment studs to reverse: 'E' x 3, 'F', 'I', 'L', 'R', 'V', 'X' with suspension loop at the lower ends of the pars; the group may be assembled to read 'U[t]ere Felix' (use [this] with good fortune'. 63 grams total, 24-46 mm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

One letter 'E' is bronze, the 'T' is absent.

With intaglio swan standing with a fish dangling from its beak; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.33 grams, 9.63 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.