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LOT 0601
Roman Silvered Bronze Double Dolphin Brooch
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.
1 1/4 in. (13.3 grams, 32 mm).
With openwork body formed as two dolphins leaping in tandem, with simple detailing to the fins; on the reverse pin lug and catchplate. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired on the UK art market.
Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.
Cf. Hattatt, R., Ancient Brooches and Other Artefacts, Oxford, 1989, item 1641.
FootnotesTwin dolphin brooches were found in Wiltshire, but they are more typical of the Roman territory of Pannonia, The hinge was usually placed below the bodies towards the tails, so that when worn win the pin point uppermost the dolphins faced upwards instead of downwards.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Roman and Later Artefact Group
Circa 1st century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £65
Comprising: a silver gorgoneion head mount; sheet-gold accessory element; bone pin with figural finial; lead seal dated 1789. 28.1 grams total, 15-64 mm
Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance. -
Large Roman Terracotta Amphora
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
The body capsule-shaped with a cylindrical neck, inverted rim and rounded base, two D-section handles; accompanied by a display stand. 9.75 kg total, 98 cm high including stand
Acquired 1970s onwards. Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex private collection of Benjamin Hyde-Smith, Hertfordshire, UK. -
Carnelian Gemstone with Bust of Zeus
Roman, 2nd century A.D. or laterEstimate: £600 - 800 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £333
The oval intaglio engraved with a bearded head of Zeus or an emperor in profile, bearded, a laurel crown laced behind the neck. 0.68 grams, 15 mm
Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Important North West London collection.
Zeus, the main god of the Graeco-Roman pantheon, typically has his hair radiating outwards, forming a corona of individual strands. The 2nd century emperor Hadrian was the first bearded Roman emperor, a fashion continued by his successors, creating a representation in connection with the image of the King of the Olympians.
