Roman Glass Spool-Shaped Vessel

Modelled in the round figure of a barrow (young boar) with serrated line of bristles along the dorsal ridge. 18.5 grams, 51 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.

With a lug handle to the rear, discus with a leaping long-horned ibex within a concentric circle border; concentric circles to base; repaired. 110 grams, 10.5 cm



Acquired on the European art market, 1980s. English private collection.

This lamp belongs to the group of provincial African lamps with a plain shoulder and a heart-shaped nozzle. The shoulder form of the lamps (irrespective of African, Italic, or eastern place of manufacture or origin) varies widely. Some of them had undecorated shoulders, like our example. Discus decors include mythology, amphitheatre, daily life, animals (our example), geometric patterns and plain discus.

Mould-made with convex shoulder separated from the concave discus by a narrow band of triangles and ovules, single groove around the discus, lower filling-hole, burn marks on the nozzle, flat undefined base, discus decorated with the head of Medusa within a laurel. 50 grams, 86 mm

Fine condition.

German collection formed since 1970. Acquired on the UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.

A Loeschcke VIII variant. The form and decoration suggest a Hadrianic date, at which time Medusa was one of the most popular subjects depicted on lamps. In ancient mythology, Medusa was one of three monstrous winged female creatures who had venomous snakes living in her hair. The story of Medusa is elaborated by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphosis, which explains that Medusa was a beautiful woman until she had sex with Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Athena exacted punishment on Medusa, turning her into a monstrous creature with a glare that turned all who gazed into her eyes to stone. Medusa was eventually beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, who used her head as a weapon which, even after being hewn from Medusa's body, could turn his enemies to stone. Perseus later presented Medusa's head to the goddess Athena, which she in turn weaponised, placing it on her shield. In classical antiquity, representations of the head of Medusa appeared in the apotropaic device known as the Gorgoneion, designed to ward-off evil and bad luck.