Roman Enamelled Bronze Disc Brooch Group

With C-section profile to the blade, rectangular handle with flare to the upper end, old notch to one edge, repaired. 46 grams, 19 cm



Ex collection Dr. Kuhn-Lucht, Germany. with Kölner Munzkabinett, Cologne, before 2016. Private European collection.

An emblematic instrument of the ancient sporting world, the strigil was mainly used by athletes as a scraper for personal hygiene. After training, which took place in the gymnasiums on tracks and arenas covered with sand, athletes and young people rubbed their skin with olive oil. They then used one of these distinctive scrapers remove the sand-oil mixture before washing in water. These actions are reproduced on famous statues (including Apoxyomenos, one of Lysippus’ masterpieces), on reliefs (such as funerary steles) as well as on countless vase paintings. In Attic and Italian red-figure imagery, the strigil is often depicted on perfume vases, like the aryballos and alabastron.

Modelled in the round figure of Faunus (Pan) in active pose with one leg raised, right arm bent in front of his chest, hair and tail billowing. 96 grams, 10.3 cm



Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1A 2JB, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

The bust of the bearded god Asclepius (Greek Asklepios), with long hair and moustache. 185 grams total, 54 mm high (11.5 cm high including stand))



Ex private collection, Israel. with Archaeological Center, Tel-Aviv, 30 September 2015, no.489. European private collection. Accompanied by a copy of the Israel Antiquities Authority export licence.