Roman Green and Blue Glass Bead Necklace String

Modelled in the round female figure striding forwards, robe billowing around her form; mounted on a stepped onyx base. 56.7 grams, 49 mm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A life-size bust showing the head turned slightly to the left, an expression of dignity on her face with broad cheeks and pronounced cheekbones, heavy eyelids with narrow eyes, gentle depressions around the full lips; hair arranged in tight curls leaving the ears exposed, small braids gathered and tied at the back with a double thong with two corkscrew curls falling on each side of the neck; the lower part of the neck framed by delicate folds of a tunic, palla covering her left shoulder; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 37.35 kg total, 43.5 cm including stand



Professor Elia Volpi (1858-1938) collection, Florence, prior to 1910. Vente de la Collection Elie Volpi; Hotel de Ventes Jandolo & Tavazzi, Florence, 25 April-3 May 1910, no.53, pl. XCII (illustrated). Private collection, France, likely Château de Beaumesnil, near Rouen. Provenant du Château de Beaumesnil et du Château de T...Objets d'Art et de Bel Ameublement Principalement du XVIIIe, Palais des Congres, Rouen, 20 February 1983. Anonymous sale; Hindman, Chicago, 25 May 2023, no,194. Acquired by the present owner at the above sale. 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.12768-237645. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

This portrait is striking due to the delicate yet exotic features of the subject and her elaborate coiffure. The sculpture was produced during a formative and highly sophisticated phase of Roman art, and during a time when portraits of women are much less common than those from later Imperial times. The preparation for a patch at the back of the head is seemingly ancient. Although she remains anonymous, given the sculpture's scale and scope, one can assume it portrays a person of note, who wished to be represented with the ideal and distinctive features of a Roman aristocrat. For a comparable portrait bust, see Agrippina Minor at the NY Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen (Acc. no.755).

Comprising a square-section socket with inner crossmember, long square-section horn to each side; some marine accretion to the surface. 14.4 kg, 61.5 cm



Acquired in the 1970s-early 1980s. From the collection of a Plymouth, UK, gentleman; thence by descent. Ex property of Philip Smith, UK. From a Cambridgeshire, UK, private collection. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Roman ships often used a type of anchor with a wooden shank and a lead stock at the top. This lead stock provided weight to help the anchor lay flat on the seabed and dig in. This exact type of anchor was already out of use by the time of the Roman conquest of Britain.