Roman Enamelled Bronze Plate Brooch Group

A mixed group of two hundred and fifty single tesserae of various colours and sizes, mostly cuboid. 350 grams total, 7-14 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.

Roman mosaics were made from small cubes of natural stone and terracotta possibly cut from tile or brick. Each of these small cubes was called a tessera (plural tesserae) from the Latin word for dice.

A restrung group of tubular, annular and other types with teardrop pendant centrepiece, including some carnelian beads. 6.41 grams, 40.7 cm



London, UK, collection, 2000s.

Mould-made, the round handle absent, deep body, broad outward-sloping shoulder with grapes and vine decorations, separated from concave discus by two thin circular ridges with a groove between, central filling-hole, short round-tipped nozzle with two volutes on flat space between the discus edge and wick-hole, base marked by three circular grooves. 58 grams, 94 mm



From the collection of Mr W.A. Stewart, Director of School of Arts and Crafts, Cairo, 1919-1929. Acquired Christie's, London, Antiquities, Works of Art and Important Renaissance Bronzes, Plaquettes and Limoges Enamels, 8 July 1981, no.126 (part). From a private Wiltshire, UK, collection. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue page.

The lamp belongs to the Loeschke type VIII, eastern variants. These lamps appeared in the second half of the 1st century but were long-lived, for a number have been found in a 3rd century A.D. context in the necropolis of Beth Shearim. Whether this decor of typical double volutes was devised by lamp makers in Asia Minor or Attica, and who influenced whom, is not yet possible to determine. But it is worth signalling the use of this decor as anchored in the eastern part of the Mediterranean.