Loading, please wait...
LOT 0927
Roman Buffware Oil Lamp with Horse and Rider
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.
2 7/8 in. (44 grams, 73 mm).
Comprising a ring handle, filling-hole and air hole in lower discus; the discus with a horse advancing left mounted by a cavalryman with a flying cloak. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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.
Cf. Bussière, J., Lindros Wohl, B., Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, nos. 278-279, for the types (Bussiere form D I 3).
FootnotesThe main charateristic of the type (Bussiere form D I 3) is the form of the nozzle, which is tangent to the lamp rim (nozzle form Bussiere 3).
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 0927
Roman Buffware Oil Lamp with Horse and Rider
Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
-
Roman Silver Denarius Bracelet
2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Penannular form with one end wound about the shank, centrepiece a denarius coin with portrait bust. 22 grams, 68 mm
Ex Lincolnshire, UK, collection, 1990s. -
Roman 'British' Ring Gemstone with Portrait
Circa 2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Ellipsoid glass insert with profile portrait bust to one face. 2.11 grams, 14 mm
Found UK. From the collection of C. Sullivan, UK, 1990s.
The same portrait appears on 'horse and rider' plate brooches. -
.jpg)
Stone Corbel with Severed Head of a Gallo-Roman
Circa 2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,690
Statue or frieze fragment with male head modelled in the half-round; circular face with large almond-shaped eyes, heavy brow, thick tousled hair framing the face, drooping moustache and short beard; presented at an oblique angle to the lower face of the block; two mounting holes to the underside. 22.8 kg, 43 cm
Found in Norfolk, UK. Acquired from Michael Booth, 1998. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
The angle of the face in respect of the block suggests that the head is both tilted and detached, i.e. that it is a tête coupé or severed head. The practice of headhunting is documented among the natives of both Gaul and Britain (and elsewhere) in the Iron Age. The head is then considered to have special powers to avert evil and promote fertility, cure disease and provide other benefits. This is the case with the carved head - a male mask with copious hair and beard - from the Roman baths at Bath, Somerset (the ancient Aquae Sulis) which was a site of worship long before the arrival of a Roman presence in the area (Ross, p.91). The head takes on the character of a deity and is believed to respond favourably to prayer.
