Roman Silver Bowl

A group of four bronze plate brooches: a horse walking left on a corded groundline, pin lug, pin and catchplate to reverse; a lioness in a stalking posture standing on a groundline, with incised face and mane detailing; pin lug to reverse; a hare bounding right with two recessed panels to the body also in the form of hares, pin lug, pin and catchplate to reverse; whorl brooch with central ring-and-dot ornament with four arms radiating outwards, each with a beast-head terminal, pin lug and catchplate to reverse. 41.3 grams total, 21-36 mm



Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK.

A slender gold finger ring with loops and granule to each shoulder, beaded wire rim to the cell, inset agate cloison with intaglio fish. 2.38 grams, 24.55 mm overall, 23.14 mm internal diameter (approximate size British W, USA 11, Europe 25, Japan 24)



English private collection.

A rectangular slate mount showing the head of a tragic mask with angular eyes, straight nose and a clownish, down-turned mouth. 3 grams, 16.2 mm

Very fine condition.

Acquired from Galerie Jean Phillipe Mariaud de Serres, 1990-2000. Property of a French collector.

Small appliqués like this one were common in Roman furniture. In the Graeco-Roman world, comic and tragic masks played an important role in Greek drama, commonly performed in the Roman Empire. The actors had the ability to easily play more than one character in succession with a simple change of masks, and the characters of the masks became popular objects in the material culture.