Roman Naked Bronze Statuette

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.

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.

With long, narrow neck separated from the body by a constriction; funicular mouth. 19 grams, 12.3 cm



Ex W.Kern, Zurich, 1950s-1970s (d.1980s). Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00086748. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

A lachrymatory (from Latin lacrima, tear) is a type of earthenware or, more commonly, glass container found in Roman and Greek tombs, thought to be bottles into which the relatives of the deceased had dropped their tears. They most likely contained ointments, and the discovery of so many of these containers (unguentaria) in tombs is due to the use of ointments in funeral ceremonies. These lachrymatories are usually shaped like a spindle or flask with a long neck and a bulb-shaped body.

Each a bone cube with ring-and-dot markings disposed: 1:6, 2:4, 3:5. 1.78 grams total, 7-8 mm



From an English collection formed before 2000.