Roman Mouse Holding Nut

A hollow-formed gold finger ring with ellipsoid bezel, inset panel of banded iridescent glass. 1.18 grams, 18.29 mm overall, 15.66 mm internal diameter (approximate size British G, USA 3 1/4, Europe 4.92, Japan 4)



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998.

A bronze statuette of a bound Mauritanian prisoner with his hands tied behind his back, naked body with exposed genitals, hair arranged in tight curls. 40 grams, 60 mm high



Acquire in the 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.

The face of this bound barbarian, who is forced into a squatting position by the way he is bound, is framed by rich locks betraying his Moorish origin. Numerous statuettes of bound barbarians have been found at the Empire’s outer boundaries. Many have vertical and horizontal bores, which have led to the interpretation that they were ornaments for horse bridles or snaffle fittings.

A free-standing bronze imperial or military eagle terminal from a staff or a sceptre, modelled in the round in a dynamic pose standing on a globe, wings spread, head turned to the right, semi-naturalistic anatomical and feather detailing; the globe bearing an incised eight-armed stylised Macedonian star; sub-triangular lug to back of the neck; collar to globe with hollow underside. 166 grams, 88 mm high



with Bonham's, London, Knightsbridge, UK, 16 May 2002, lot 301. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. 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.11582-198947

In the Roman world, the eagle was associated with the god Jupiter or Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and was seen as ‘the symbol and agent of apotheosis after death’. An eagle was released from the top of an emperor’s funeral pyre to signal the journey of the soul towards heaven. A sacred attribute of Jupiter, this eagle terminal may have been attached to a sceptre of the statue of the god. Eagles were also the principal standard of the legions, and became the military symbol for excellence.