Roman Green Glass Bead Necklace String

Hollow to the underside with rectangular-section tapering panel, S-curved dolphin with prominent dorsal fin, low-relief eyes; probably a furniture fitting. 129 grams, 96 mm



Private collection of Mr S.A., Switzerland, 1990s, thence by descent.

With ribbed handle, discoid plate with raised rib to one face, running scrolls to the other, lateral struts. 43 grams, 11 cm



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

Many examples of this category from the Danube region were found in female graves, where they possibly served as grave goods considered appropriate for their connection with general issues of fertility, good fortune, and beauty, or even as protective amulets. Since lead mirror frames have been found in this Roman province only in graves of women, it is probable that these miniature mirrors, fitted with a central glass, were expected to serve as ritual or magical tools to assist souls of dead women in the afterlife.

Standing erect on a tiered socle base in contrapposto pose; pointillé-textured mantle draped to the left shoulder, left arm bent, hand holding a wand; right arm loose at the side, hand holding a patera; finely modelled face with short wavy hair; shallow dimple or socket to the crown; standing on a possibly later tiered disc base with square foot. 957 grams, 16 cm high



Acquired on the German art market, 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire collection, 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.12013-213587.

Mercury was the god of trade and industry, whose principle shrine in the city of Rome was at the Circus Maximus. The draped mantle is typical of statuary of Mercury from the 1st-2nd century A.D. (Boucher, pl.40, 43) and the 'baton' may in fact be the stem of a caduceus (Boucher, pl.46 (211)).