Roman Bronze Phallic Knife Handle

With globular body and long tubular neck, dimple base, everted rim with gusset to the outer edge; wheel-cut horizontal lines to the body. 82 grams, 12.5 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1980-1990s.

This bottle belongs to a group of globular bottles with cylindrical necks (some longer than others) and plain or collar-like rims, which are decorated with parallel and/or intersecting circles or combinations of circles and other motifs.

Hollow-formed with fine detailing to the fingers and nails; with fixing points for a military standard (signum) used by each unit under a centurion, originally fixed with the palm facing forwards inside a wreath. 718 grams, 21 cm

Generally intact and good defined, except for the lower part.

Acquired in Europe before 2000. European private collection. 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.12003-211851.

Roman military signa decorated by phalerae and surmounted by a right hand were used from the Late Consular Age. The hand (manus) symbolised the fides, i.e. the allegiance between the soldiers and the Res Publica. It is also possible that the hand belonged to a statue in which it was extended as a sign of silence, to allow the speaker to speak. However, the iconography of military hands, and also the resemblance with a bronze hand (military signum) preserved in the Vindonissa museum (Windisch), support the possibility that the object was part of a military standard.

With ellipsoid plaque, incuse image of a robed female in profile holding a cornucopia, possibly Fortuna. 7.05 grams, 21.58 mm overall, 16.36 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I, USA 4 1/4, Europe 7.44, Japan 7)



Private collection, England.