Roman Bronze Votive Statue Leg

Each with a hollow-formed crescentic hoop, piriform plaque with inset glass panel and granulated border, hollow-bulb cluster beneath with three applied piriform plaques and granule finial. 9.26 grams total, 37-38 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12393-226929.

As a result of the expansion of the Roman Empire, jewellery became more and more elaborate in its designs and materials used, such as precious and semi-precious gemstones. This pair of earrings represent a highly baroque evolution of the boat-shaped type, already visible in Etruscan jewellery and certainly in Roman jewellery, as demonstrated by the excavations of Herculaneum. Using the body of the boat-shaped earrings, the late Imperial artist added decorative clusters and applications of pearled borders and precious stones, according to the taste of Eastern Hellenism rooted for centuries in the provinces of the Black Sea and Roman Asia.

With rolled rim and a large loop handle above; accompanied by a tapering glass pin with applied dolphin finial. 75 grams, 16.5 cm



Previously from a German private collection. Acquired Sotheby's, London, 13 & 14 July 1981, no.425 (illus). From a private Wiltshire, UK, collection. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages.

With facetted hoop, ellipsoid cell to the bezel with inset carnelian gemstone, intaglio image of a kantharos; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 5.88 grams, 24.02 mm overall, 19.60 mm internal diameter (approximate size British S, USA 9, Europe 20, Japan 19)



From the collection of a Surrey gentleman; acquired 1970-1980.

From the middle of the 3rd century AD, gem production in the Roman Empire declined rapidly. At the same time the first Christian motifs began to be visible on the rings.