Roman Bronze Key Collection

Female with hair drawn up in a chignon, palla wrapped tightly around the upper body hiding the right arm bent with the hand at the shoulder, lower hem of robe flared; fixing lug to underside. 86 grams, 71 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

This is a figurine of a deity of difficult interpretation representing an ex-voto. This typology is widespread in the votive offerings of Etrusco-Roman sanctuaries, and by analogy with various statuettes could represent Ceres or Pomona.

Restrung group of beads including tubular types, large melon bead centrepiece. 20.8 grams, 33.5 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

Modelled in the round, right hand clutching a wreath of laurel leaves. 19.6 grams, 23 mm



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.

The hand raising the laurel wreath, symbol of Roman victory, could belong to a statuette representing the winged Victory, Nike. However, an important statuette of Flora, goddess of flowering and cereals, found in Witcombe Villa, represents her with raised hand holding a similar wreath, which does not necessarily correspond to a laurel wreath, but to an intertwined wreath of flowers , symbol of prosperity and spring.