Roman Spherical Glass Bottle

With ellipsoid plaque and inset carnelian cloison with intaglio kneeling warrior with Pseudo-Attic helmet pushed back from the face, domed shield on one arm and sword held upright in the other hand supported by the knee. 8.11 grams, 27.11 mm overall, 20.96 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N 1/2, USA 6 3/4, Europe 14.35, Japan 13)



Acquired on the European art market in the 1990s. UK collection of a European gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The motif of a nude kneeling warrior with weapons is certainly visible in the repertory of the Greek gemstones since the Archaic and classical age. The scene possibly alludes to the incident in the Trojan Cycle where Achilles is wounded by an arrow in his heel, the only part of his body which was not impervious to injury.

Core formed with rounded base, everted rim. 39 grams, 10.5 cm



Ex Mayfair, London, UK, gallery, 1990s-2000s. From an important collection of glass, the property of a London gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Composed of oblate, biconical and other beads, central feature with a tabular lozenge-shaped bead, including recent European moulded bead shapes; restrung. 20.5 grams, 37.5 cm



From the London, UK, art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

In the Roman period there was a strong formal and chromatic diversity of glass beads used for necklaces and bracelets. The most common beads in forms were small biconical (lenticular), barrel-shaped, spherical and annular; the most common colours were dark blue, followed by green and yellow. The succession of glass beads often imitates jewellery made of costly materials (gold, silver, semi-precious and precious stones).