Loading, please wait...
LOT 0835
Roman Light Blue Glass and Stone Bead Necklace String
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D. AND LATER
16 1/2 in. (15.1 grams, 42 cm).
Composed of graduated beads with larger beads as a central feature; restrung. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the London, UK, art market in the 1990s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. for similar necklaces in blue glass Johns, C., The Jewellery of Roman Britain, Celtic and Classical Traditions, London, 1996, p.100.
FootnotesSuch necklaces testify to the popularity of glass ornaments across the Roman Empire. Roman jewellery at first followed trends set by the Etruscans, using gold and glass beads, but with the extension of the Empire and the adoption of different styles from Greece, Egypt and North Africa, jewellery designs became increasingly various and elaborate. Each bead of this beautiful necklace is unique in shape, lustre and speckling, creating a mosaic-like impression. Blue glass beads can be grouped into opaque mid-blue and deep translucent cobalt blue types.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Roman Glass Janiform Ampulla
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £546
Body formed as two addorsed putto-heads with long, narrow neck separated from the body by a constriction; funicular mouth. 48.9 grams, 11 cm
Ex Anita Zürrer-Bass (1928-2018), Switzerland, formed 1960s-1990s. Thence by descent. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The body of this type of vessel is formed from two heads joined together at the back. The faces have protruding chins, full cheeks and turned-up noses. The hair, filling the space between the faces, is arranged into spherical curls. This kind of products were often realised in Syrian workshops and widespread across the empire. They are usually dated to the 3rd century A.D. -
Roman Bronze Standing Figure of Priapus
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
Modelled in the round standing, wearing a paenula, his two hands holding up the hem to support a pile of fruits on his erect penis; mounted on a custom-made stand. 31.7 grams total, 63 mm including stand
From the private collection of Mr K.A., acquired in the 1990s-early 2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This is one of the most characteristic representations of Priapus: standing, with long, smooth hair, his head covered by a traveller's pilos (usually made of felt). With his hands he raises his tunic revealing his phallus, a symbol of fertility and good luck, and carries the first fruits of the earth on the hem of his tunic. -
Roman Sacrificial Iron Dagger with Bronze Bull-Headed Hilt
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,105
Comprising a single-edged triangular blade, with midrib; integral baluster and grip with bull-head finial; the blade tip restored. 218 grams, 28 cm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.