Roman Golden Glass Janus Head Flask

With broad rounded shoulder tapering to a conical foot, cylindrical neck and everted mouth with rolled rim, applied trail handles and collar; tip restored; supplied with a display stand. 97 grams, 18 cm (220 grams total, 20 cm including stand)



Ex property of a late Japanese collector, 1970-2000s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12108-217865.

With portion of original matrix and five rows of tesserae in grey, black, cream and white. 213 grams, 79 mm



Acquired Tunisia, North Africa. From a pre World War II collection, thence by descent. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985.

In African mosaics, combinations of black and white and cream tessellated mosaics often form the borders of important mosaics, such as those of El Jem, representing the love between Satyrs and Bacchants, or the myth of Leda and the Swan.

Rectangular with two supporting bars to the underside, extended loop above; enigmatic (Greek) letters to all faces. 63.7 grams, 33 mm



with Hotel des Ventes, Drouot, Paris, France. From the collection of Mr H. Naudy, Paris, France. Acquired at between 2004-2010. Property of a French collector.

This small counter-weight bears letters indicating numbers: on one of the short sides Α (1), Δ (4), Χ (600); on the other short side they worn and difficult to read; and on one of the longer sides Υ (400), φ (500). The other letters are challenging to read, but the object would have been used as unit of measure. Another possibility is that it belonged to a statuette of a man holding a codex ansatus (box with a handle for carrying writing tablets).