Roman Silver Bow Brooch

A colossal architectural limestone head of the goddess Diana (Greek Artemis) with elegant features, sensual lips and deep eyes; detailed treatment of the hairstyle in transverse braids across the brow, laurel wreath with two rows of leaves resting above the forehead; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 72 cm high including stand



Ex private Belgian collection. with Madame Andree Mace collection. English private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Prof. Neritan Ceka. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11625-199748.

The upper part of the head, cut horizontally, creates a semi-circular surface, on which the rest of the hair, or an architectonic capital, may have been mounted. A T-shaped indentation on that surface served to secure that attachment. The back of the head, cut perpendicularly, proves that the head was made to repose on an architectural surface. The fragmentary preservation of the neck does not allow a clear determination, whether we are dealing with the head of a caryatid, i.e. the head of a sculpture in the function of a pilaster, or whether the colossal head was an architectural stone corbel, i.e. an architectural element that was placed for the support of the sima of a building of great size.

A piriform glass bottle with slender tubular neck and everted rim; some iridescent surfaces. 15.5 grams, 98 mm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

A carved schist dolphin figure with stylised detailing to the fins and face; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 30 grams total, 59 mm long (58 mm high including stand)

Fine condition.

Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

The dolphin was among the animals sacred to Aphrodite, but in Graeco-Roman mythology it was also considered to be the animal accompanying the souls of the dead into the afterlife.