Roman Bronze Phallic Pendant

With portion of original matrix and five rows of tesserae in grey, black, cream and white. 213 grams, 79 mm



Acquired Tunisia, North Africa. From a pre World War II collection, thence by descent. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985.

In African mosaics, combinations of black and white and cream tessellated mosaics often form the borders of important mosaics, such as those of El Jem, representing the love between Satyrs and Bacchants, or the myth of Leda and the Swan.

Carved with a severe facial expression, short cropped hair, pierced at the ears, old collector's label '018' to the underside. 3.05 grams, 14 mm



From the glyptic collection of Mr X; thence by descent. Acquired Hotel des Ventes, Drouot, Eve SVV, Paris, France, 28 June 2017, no.152 (Part). Property of a French collector.

A Roman North African terracotta oil lamp with grooved ring handle; discus decorated with the mythological scene depicting Leda and the swan embracing. 77 grams, 10.3 cm



Dr Suzanne Gozlan, thence by descent. Suzanne Gozlan (1921-2022), a doctor of History and Archaeology, served as a professor at the Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs de Chartres and lectured at the University of Paris 4 Sorbonne. Property of a Bristol, UK, gentleman.

In Greek mythology, Leda was the wife of King Tyndareus and queen of Sparta. According to the myth, Zeus, the king of the gods, was captivated by Leda's beauty and appeared before her in the form of a swan. He then either raped or seduced her and impregnated her. The same night, Leda slept with her husband who also impregnated her, as a result of these two unions she laid two eggs, each containing one set of twins. According to later Greek mythology Leda bore Helen (of Troy) and Polydeuces, children of Zeus, while at the same time bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of her husband.