Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 1042
Roman Bronze Key Group
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D.
1 5/8 - 2 1/2 in. (67.66 grams total, 42-62 mm).
Comprising three keys with looped terminals, one for a barrel lock. [3]
Provenance
Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
VETTING:
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.
RELATED LOTS
-
Roman Agate Gemstone with Victory
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
With intaglio Victory standing holding a wreath in one extended hand, wings billowing to the rear; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.33 grams, 12.42 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Late Roman Bronze Ring with Bust
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Substantial hoop with a raised rectangular bezel bearing a profile bust facing left, flanking inscription '+VI[R]TVS' (Value) 8.85 grams, 29.60 mm overall, 17.30 x 20.72 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
The ring seems to underline military virtue (virtus), and it can be assumed that it was given as a gift to a soldier for an act of courage, or as a reward for an undertaking of a certain value. The bust could represent an imperial figure. -
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Figure of a Slave with Fruit Basket
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Hollow-formed figure of a servant with grotesque facial features, pointed cap and a short tunic, carrying a pouch in the right hand and shoulders an overflowing fruit basket on the left; a large recess between his legs may be for the insertion of an oversized model phallus; pierced lug to rear of neck for suspension. 286 grams, 17.5 cm
Acquired from Galerie Puhze, Freiburg, between 2002 and 2010. From the collection of R. L., Lower Saxony. Ex Gorny & Mosch, auction 300, Munich, no.75. Accompanied by a certificate from Galerie Günter Puhze and a German export licence.
Grotesque and exaggerated figurines were produced in late Hellenistic times, especially in Alexandria. The artisans, fascinated with realism, started to reproduce scenes and figures from daily life, and seemed to have a preference for emphasis on ill and deformed persons. The characters with caricature features are usually referred to as grotesques.