Roman Mixed Glass Bead Group

Composed mainly of oblate and cylindrical beads, central feature composed of larger irregular beads; restrung. 7.55 grams, 35 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A substantial hollow-form ring with a hexagonal plaque to the base of the hoop, expanding shoulders with a low-relief image of a standing nude goddess; raised oval bezel with an applied repoussé disc of a warship to each end; applied bezel with a chiselled image of god of the sea Neptune facing right, depicted with thick, lustrous beard and hair, the hair tied with a thin ribbon. 7.40 grams, 37.31 mm overall, 22.71 x 27.56 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Z+3, USA 13 3/4, Europe 32.57, Japan 31)



Ex Angelopolo collection, Vienna. Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. 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.12571-232087. 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.

The ring carries a rare combination of the god Neptune (Greek Poseidon) with two warships. This can only mean that it belonged to a navarcha, a commander of a fleet or a warship. In the turbulent era of the civil wars that followed the death of Caesar, important naval conflicts sealed the fate of the Roman Res Publica. Sextus Pompeius, son of the great Pompey, was able to build a naval power in the South of the Italian Peninsula, especially in Sicily, adopting the image of the god Neptune who - with an image very similar to that of our ring - was represented on the coins he minted, together with naval triumphs and warships. The ships depicted on the ring belong to the Liburna type, protagonist of the famous battle of Actium in 31 B.C. They were smaller and faster ships, armed with 82 oars disposed upon two orders, about 33 meters long, with 114 oarsmen, 10-15 sailors, and 40 marines. The hull-design of the Liburna with a pointed, streamlined prow built for speed, as well as the ram (rostrum), is here fully detailed.

Carved in the round with stern facial features, short curly hair and beard with light moustache; the broad brow modelled with characterful creasing, the eyebrows slightly drooping and eyes deep-set, the nose angular and small pinched mouth; possibly an emperor or a tetrarch; possibly retouched in places. 26.5 kg, 27 cm high



Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the European art market, 2002. Private Swiss collection. 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 a search certificate number no.12574-232106. 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.

The portrait, for style and artistic structure, can be compared with the ones of Diocletian and his colleague Maximianus Herculius, and with most of the emperors of the so-called Tetrarchic Period. Like in the portrait of Diocletian and Maximianus, this military man is portrayed with bags under his eyes and with a harsh facial expression. The wrinkles on his forehead and around his mouth show the feelings of a man engaged in difficult times. Stylistically the face presents affinity with the portrait of Diocletian or Maximianus Herculius at the Uffizi (inv.242), some elements also recall the portrait of Decius at the Musei Capitolini (inv.482). We can therefore date the artwork in the period between the second half of the 3rd century and the first decade of the 4th century A.D.