Roman Glass Spindle Whorl

With intaglio Hercules with club in his extended hand; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.62 grams 12.02 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Hexagonal in plan with tall tubular neck and flared and folded rim, disc base with moulding seams; broad sloping shoulder above a sidewall of panels each with a low-relief avian image (bird in flight, bird perching on a branch, etc.). 31 grams, 80 mm



Ex private collection, Israel. Acquired from Archaeological Center, Auction 60, no.204. Private collection. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Archaeological Center online catalogue page. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12530-232177.

Roman opaque glass attributed to the Sidonian workshops represents one of the most technically sophisticated achievements of early Imperial glassmaking. Produced in the Levant, long a centre of innovation, the workshops at Sidon were renowned for their mastery of colour chemistry, using controlled additions of antimony-and-tin-based opacifiers to create surfaces resembling fine stone or enamel. These vessels were not merely utilitarian objects but markers of status, admired in antiquity for their vibrant hues and precision of manufacture. Examples such as the present piece illustrate the transition of glass from a luxury comparable to carved hardstone to an art form that could be shaped, coloured, and refined with unprecedented freedom, underscoring the pivotal role of Sidon in the evolution of Roman glass technology.

Comprising two broad sheet-gold hoops, each with reeded outer face, joined with applied granules below and a wire loop above, securing a facetted glass bead. 3.52 grams, 31 mm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.