Loading, please wait...
LOT 0122
Roman Bronze Plaque with Goddess Cybele
3RD CENTURY A.D.
3 3/4 in. (430 grams, 94 mm).
Rectangular plaque with stepped herringbone border, facing bust of Cybele with flaring turret-crown and cascading hair, symbols in the field.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a European gentleman living in South London; acquired 1970-1980.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13307-258227.
Cf. a similar plaque in bronze of the goddess in Sackler Museum, Harvard University, inv.no.1993.233.
FootnotesCybele was the great Phrygian mother of the gods, and goddess of motherhood, fertility and the mountain wilds.
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.
LOT 0122
Roman Bronze Plaque with Goddess Cybele
Estimate £2,000 - 3,000€2,320 - 3,480 (for guidance only)$2,700 - 4,050 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£1,000 (EUR 1,160; USD 1,350) +BP*
-
Roman Iridescent Glass Balsamarium
3rd century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
Slender tapering body with a rounded base and a trumpet-shaped mouth with a rolled rim. 20.87 grams, 12.7 cm
Acquired in the 1990s from London dealerships and auction houses. From the Lonson collection. -
Roman Glass Gemstone with Winged Figure of Eros
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Bids: 2 | Current Bid: £10
Ellipsoid type with incuse design of winged naked Eros advancing towards a small tree. 0.78 grams, 18 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
.jpg)
Roman Sapphire Gemstone with Crescent Moon and Star
Third quarter of 1st century B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,250
Cushion-shaped greenish-blue intaglio engraved with a large crescent moon and star. 1.05 grams, 10 mm
Formerly in a private collection of an European lady, 1970s-1980s. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13305-257800.
Basaltic sapphires used by the Romans came from surface deposits in northern Ethiopia, which were already known and productive in ancient times. This hypothesis is supported by comments by Pliny the Elder (23–79 A.D.) and Solinus (early 3rd century A.D.), both of whom referred to gems from Ethiopia named ‘hyacintos’, which is generally accepted in archaeology to be the ancient name of sapphire. The moon and stars have been, since the 4th century BC, symbols of the city of Byzantium and were also linked with Spartan military culture.
