Roman Glass Vessel Group

A marble head of a lady or a goddess from a statuette, carved in the round with semi-naturalistic facial features and dressed hair with fillet; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 477 grams total, 12 cm high



London art market, 1988.

The head could represent a late Aphrodite, when compared with heads of the goddess of small late Roman statuettes. In these examples, like here, the goddess’ face is typical of idealised late-mythological statuary, with heavy eyelids, pronounced brow ridges, small lips and a soft jaw.

A fragment of redware ceramic from a moulded vessel, low-relief design depicting the giant Geryon as a helmetted Roman Miles advancing, with gladius held ready in both his left hands and a studded round shield; modern mounting loop to the reverse. 36 grams, 78 mm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

The image is a representation of the giant Geryon, a monster killed by Herakles usually represented with three bodies and three heads, or three heads and one body, or three bodies and one head. In the Roman iconography (but already visible in Greek iconography) he is often represented as an armoured warrior. The original pottery to which the fragment belonged was probably originally decorated with the labours of Hercules.

A clear glass feeder bottle with bulbous bottle, tubular neck, broad everted rim and conical spout; extensive iridescence. 40 grams, 10.2 cm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.