Roman Coloured Glass Bracelet Group

The bowl with a convex outer face and notched lip, decoratively waisted handle with addorsed duck heads to the apex of the suspension loop; base of bowl absent. 314 grams, 30 cm



Acquired in Europe before 1995.

Moulmade with large handle; squat pear-shaped body, open discus with large central filling hole surrounded by two rows of radiating lines and ridge that forms a narrow channel to the nozzle; base decorated with a stylised Chrismon. 78 grams, 94 mm



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 type belongs probably to a variant of so-called Late Ephesian Lamps, i.e. lamps of Asia Minor. Late Ephesian type lamps have very characteristic underbodies. Several examples have an impressed circular mark, for example a cross formed of four vertically placed small circles with two more placed horizontally, or a Chi Rho, like in this example.

Comprising thirty glass beads of various sizes, including mosaic beads and some with drawn decoration. 49 grams total, 7-13 mm



UK gallery, early 2000s.

The mass production of glass in Ancient Rome prompted the development of glass jewellery of unique qualities. The ancient Romans considered jewellery to be an essential accessory, being a public display of the wealth of high social classes. Recent excavations have provided better information on the use of glass beads for necklaces and bracelets, and in some case has been possible to understand the exact arrangement of a necklace or other jewellery made of glass. Many of the examples here presented belongs to the so-called category of ‘eye-beads’.