Roman Green Glass Bead Necklace String

Ellipsoid plaque with chamfered rim; obverse: two animal-headed attendants flank a seated figure in profile mounted on a curved barque, with birds, stars, crescents and other items in the field; reverse: enigmatic legend 'XAYYXYXBA / XVXBAR ** / AZIXVCBXI /


From the collection of magical objects of the late Mr A. Cotton, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12224-222410.

Mould-blown with elliptical body, short neck and thick everted rim in amber-tinted glass, with modelled wrinkles to resemble date fruit. 18.3 grams, 65 mm



German art market. Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2003.

The bowl with a wide flat bottom and convex sides; the inside with incised concentric circles; flat handle with raised edges and hooked finial for suspension. 483 grams, 39.5 cm



German private collection, Mr O., collecting in the 1950s-1960s; thence by descent. with Bonhams, London, 7 July 2016, lot 191. 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.11735-201189.

This vessel was part of Roman and provincial bronze instrumentum domesticum, i.e. culinary or domestic utility ware. Such cooking vessels are rare: some are found in central and northern Italy, in Pannonia, Germany and in Britain. The Aylesford Pan, today in the British Museum (inventory no.1886.1112.1), is one of the most important finds. This specimen (Eggers type 130), probably pre-Caesarian or Caesarian, was found in a grave together with a Celtic bucket and a jug.