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LOT 0686
Roman Bronze Phallic Amulet
3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D. OR LATER
2 1/8 in. (26.1 grams, 55 mm).
Composed of a hollowed truncated conical socket, with a curved arm to each side, one ending in a phallic shape, the other ending with a closed fist.
ProvenanceAcquire in the 1990s.
Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
Cf. for similar amuler or pendant Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques De Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 436.
FootnotesRoman phallic amulets are represented by many examples preserved in museums and private collections, with a vast variety of types. This specimen belongs to category of double phallus, even if one of the male attributes is here represented as a fist. These amulets were worn as a wish for fertility and virile power, often hung on horses as harness pendants.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0686
Roman Bronze Phallic Amulet
Estimate £100 - 140€120 - 160 (for guidance only)$140 - 190 (for guidance only)
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Roman Bronze Headstud Brooch
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Displaying pale blue enamel panels to the shoulders, blue glass bead to the bow and elliptical lug to the footplate; partial remains of pin lug and catchplate. 18.7 grams, 56 mm
From an important Mayfair, London, UK collection, before 2012; item 2049. -
Roman Bronze Spoon
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
Composed of a shallow oval bowl and stem flaring towards a decoratively notched terminal, beast head in relief to the neck and geometric motifs to the stem. 50 grams, 15 cm
English collection, early 2000s. Ex central London gallery. -
Late Roman Iron Branding Signaculum
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £40
Featuring an elaborate monogram composed of Greek letters M, A, T and P on three supporting prongs; tapering cylindrical socket. 343 grams, 29.5 cm high
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.
Branding stamps or signacula, in particular those with large single letters, were used for marking livestock to identify the owner, the breed, the quality and other features of the animal. These signacula were usually made in bronze, but iron examples are also preserved.
