Roman 'Leicestershire' Decorated Redware Sherd Collection

Obverse with a beaded border and one loop enclosing an image of three figures: at the centre Minerva wearing a crested helmet and with a shield at her feet, on the left Abundantia with a frond in her bent arm, on the right Mercury with cap and caduceus; reverse with concentric rings. 11.1 grams, 40 mm



Private collection, 1980s. From the collection of a London antiquarian.

The lead medallions were worn as elements of protection from the gods represented on them, but also used by soldiers as seals. Several lead medallions with images of emperors, male deities (Mars), military heads and imperial initials were found in the military chancellery of Carnuntum. The presence of loops on our specimen points to its use as a prophylactic medallion.

Matched pair of gold earrings each a twisted wire hoop with domed shield, central granule and filigree border, cluster of granules below. 1.01 grams total, 16-17 mm



From a collection of a London lady, acquired annually during 1990s-2000s.

Comprising a matching pair of earrings, each composed of a hollow crescentic body tapering to slender coiled wire terminals, a suspension loop to each shoulder, large tear-shaped cell to front with granulated border, set with a polished garnet cabochon, gold bulbs below in the form of a bunch of grapes, adorned with smaller granules and three cells set with polished garnet cabochons; the necklace elements comprising graduated beads, alternating between roughly spherical polished garnets and sheet-gold beads of various types including gusseted, biconical and tubular, two floral filigree pendants flanking a central pendant ornamented with 'plaited' and plain filigree wire with granules to the outside, finial of trefoil bulbs, central corrugated cell set with a polished garnet cabochon; mounted on a custom-made perspex display base. 435 grams total, display stand: 30 x 23.5 cm (earrings: 38 mm each)



Ex private European collection, 1970s. with Genève Enchères, 14 December 2017, Lot 999. 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.11584-199015.

Beryls, used as small pendants, and not placed horizontally, characterised Roman necklaces of 2nd century A.D. A typical example is the necklace found in the grave of Crepereia Tryphaena. The contents of the grave are dated to the Antonine age based on the sarcophagus, the inscription, and the hairstyle of the doll it contains.