Loading, please wait...
LOT 0644
Roman Bronze Phallic Dagger Quillon or Pendant
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
2 1/8 in. (25.5 grams, 55 mm).
With a rectangular plaque with central void, phallus to one short edge and a stylised fist to the other. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
See for a bronze phallic element of same typology, Metropolitan Museum of Art, no.60.11.71.
FootnotesIn the Roman world the phallus was symbol of luck or fertility, and it as well was believed to have apotropaic functions. Pendants, amulets and small objects were worn by all sorts of people as symbols of protection, especially from young children according to Varro and Pliny the Elder. The phallus is commonly found on reliefs, frescoes and lamps from the Graeco-Roman world. This object can have been the quillon of a small dagger, but also hung as a charm from a tintinnabulum, a wind chime adorned with bells and intended to ward off evil.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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.
-
Roman Bronze Mirror
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Discoid with raised rim and bands of concentric ribs; plain underside. 125 grams, 10 cm
Ex collection Mr K.H., Germany. Private collection, acquired in 2012. -
.jpg)
Large Roman Bronze Robed Torso
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Estimate: £30,000 - 40,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £16,667
Likely representing Harpocrates, depicted frontally and wearing a draped full-length himation, the right arm raised and left arm bent at the elbow; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 7.55 kg total, 53.5 cm high including stand
Private collection, Hong Kong, acquired in the 1970s. Spanish art market. Acquired by the present owner from the above. 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 a search certificate number no.13040-248071.
The body of this statue was hollow-cast by the lost wax method; traces of solder within the arm sockets and around the neck indicate that the arms and head were cast separately. The position of the body and comparative images suggest the statue represents Harpocrates. Harpocrates, the son of Isis and Horus, was one of the most represented children, especially after the diffusion of his cult into the Roman Empire. He is usually depicted naked, but draped figures of the god were produced in the Hellenised east and spread throughout the Empire. Statues of Harpocrates were at the entrance of almost all temples, to indicate that in those places the gods should have been honoured with silence, or, according to Plutarch, men who had an imperfect knowledge of the divinity should only speak of it with respect. -
Roman Bronze Bird Brooch
1st century B.C.-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Plate brooch formed as a bird with wings spread; pointillé detailing to the tail; catch, lug and part of spring to underside. 8.09 grams, 44 mm
Acquired by a Swiss family in the mid-1980s to late 1990s, thence by descent. Private collection, Switzerland, since the late 1990s.
