Roman Bronze Phallic Seal Box

Advancing wearing an ankle-length toga drawn over the head as a cowl, the left hand supporting a partly-unfurled scroll; mounted on a custom-made stand. 149 grams total, 88 mm high including stand



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

The statuette represents a priest dressed in a tunic and large cloak, the hem of which covers the head (capite velato). His right hand had to hold a portion of incense, while with his left hand he holds a container for the same incense.

Including equal-arm, bow brooch fragments, and a Romano-British lion bow brooch similar to the one found at Corbridge (lot 891). 21.1 grams total, 28-42 mm



Property of the vendor's grandfather, thence by family descent, circa 1985. From the private collection of a New York, USA gentleman.

Standing erect on a tiered socle base in contrapposto pose; pointillé-textured mantle draped to the left shoulder, left arm bent, hand holding a wand; right arm loose at the side, hand holding a patera; finely modelled face with short wavy hair; shallow dimple or socket to the crown; standing on a possibly later tiered disc base with square foot. 957 grams, 16 cm high



Acquired on the German art market, 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire collection, UK. 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 search certificate number no.12013-213587.

Mercury was the god of trade and industry, whose principle shrine in the city of Rome was at the Circus Maximus. The draped mantle is typical of statuary of Mercury from the 1st-2nd century A.D. (Boucher, pl.40, 43) and the 'baton' may in fact be the stem of a caduceus (Boucher, pl.46 (211)).