Roman Gold Votive Plaque

With inset jasper gemstone, intaglio profile bust of Minerva (Greek Athena) wearing a crested helmet. 3.39 grams, 21.07 mm overall, 17.61 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)



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

Formed as a twisted square-section shank with granule clusters to the shoulders, ellipsoid plaque with beaded wire cell and inset aqua glass cabochon with incuse rectangle motif. 2.39 grams, 21.87 mm overall, 18.10 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12)



UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a London gentleman.

Modelled in the round and originally part of a monumental statue, the naturalistic right foot encased in a trochades leather sandal with median reversed tongue secured with side straps and thick looped laces; the thick platform sole slightly curved, toes and nails well defined; mounted on a substantial custom-made display stand. 5.84 kg total, foot: 30 cm wide



German art market. European private collection, 1970s-early 2000s. Acquired from the above; thence by descent. Private collection, London, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12176-221443.

The detailed bronze foot with a possible variant of the Greek trochades sandal, known to be a traveller's sandal, is all that remains of the once monumental statue. The trochades was a sturdy traveller's open boot of Greek origin with a flat sole. In the Consular Age it was also used by officers and guardsmen. Roman sandals consisted usually of a leather sole attached to the foot with interlacing thongs.