Roman Bronze Medical Spoon

Composed of graduated oblate, annular and other beads, central feature a large re-used mosaic glass fragment. 19.86 grams, 42.7 cm



From the London, UK, art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Such necklaces testify to the popularity of glass ornaments across the Roman Empire. Roman jewellery at first followed trends set by the Etruscans, using gold and glass beads, but with the extension of the Empire and the adoption of different styles from Greece, Egypt and North Africa, jewellery designs became increasingly various and elaborate. Each bead of this beautiful necklace is unique in shape, lustre and speckling, creating a mosaic like impression. Blue glass beads are distinguished by the scholars as opaque mid-blue and deep translucent cobalt blue.

Swept in profile comprising a horizontal crescentic panel to attach to the rim, with inlaid silver detailing, recurved cobra-shaped thumb pad, raised serpent to the outer face of the tapering handle, finial a mask of Bacchus or Pan, facing with volute scrolls to the brow and thick splayed beard; silver diadem and eyes. 110 grams, 14.2 cm



Private collection. with Christie's, London, 11 June 1997, no.97 (part). with Bonhams, 13 April 2000, no.198. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's and Bonhams catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12529-232161. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Squat and shallow with curved rim, old pencilled notation '[....] Alfriston, E. Sussex'. 287 grams, 16.5 cm



From the private collection of a Canadian gentleman living in Essex, UK, formed since the 1920s-circa 1990. Property of an Essex lady until the late 1990s; thence by descent. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.