Roman Bronze Medical Implements and Palette

Decorated with a frieze of partially preserved acanthus volutes from which emerges a figure of a winged female, possibly a siren, the body and the head of a woman with brown hair, the outstretched wings in pink and yellow; ochre background, cream-coloured line border with a green raised edge (part of the wall) below; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 979 grams total, 16 cm high including stand



From a European collection formed in the 19th century or earlier, based on the custom-made tooled leather box similar to another fragment kept in a case of similar manufacture with a label reading 'Fragment de Pompéi provenant de la vente Préat 1868' sold at Sotheby's New York, 12 December 2013, lot 84. Mitsukoshi department store, Nihonbashi, Tokyo, by 1974. Japanese art market, 1974-1978. 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 11828-207723.

This painted stucco was probably part of a decorative frame. Such decorations can be seen on the famous Villa of Oplontis, where the painted walls of the Triclinium nr. 14 have been divided thrice by columns with a sphinx as ornament on the top of the pillar, decorated with acanthus scrolls and sirens beneath the sphinxes.

Bezel formed as one circular and two piriform gold cells with large granules between and granulation to the rim of each cell; inset garnet cabochons, with later rectangular-section hoop. 2.39 grams, 21.13 mm overall, 16.53 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)



From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.

Composed of an oval-shaped body, possibly sodalite, displaying an intaglio scorpion; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 0.82 grams, 15 mm



Acquired on the European art market in the late 1960s-early 1970s.