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LOT 0977
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3RD CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
1/2 - 3/4 in. (31 grams total, 14-21 mm).
A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. [20, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
FootnotesThe term 'tessera' was used in Roman times to convey the Greek term σύμβολον (token). Small tiles are known as tokens, often shaped like coins, made of metal (copper, lead, iron), clay, bone, wood, or glass, stamped as well as engraved. The tokens, however, are not exclusively coin-shaped, as the Latin term 'tessera' suggests by etymologically referring to a square or at least a four-sided shape and confirmed in several cases by material remains of the past. Tokens and tesserae seem to have been used both in Athens and Rome for the distribution of goods. According to written sources, the term token is identified with credentials of the official authorities. They have also been interpreted as tokens of identity, as entrance tickets to theatre performances, tribunals or assemblies of citizens, archival material of seal engraving, as pawns in games, Charon’s obols and even as amulets.
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 Cut-Glass Skyphos
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
Drum-shaped frosted glass vessel on a low basal ring, lateral loop handles each with an angled spur below and fish-tail plaque above. 260 grams, 18.3 cm wide
Acquired in the 1980s. with Christopher Sheppard, London, UK. Acquired from the above in 2007. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13248-252970.
The classic shape of this skyphos, a two-handled drinking cup from the 1st century, reflects the metal prototypes of the period. The most famous are the silver cups from Boscoreale and the House of the Menander at Pompeii (Hilgers, 1969, pl.2, nos.5-6 and pl.4, nos.1-4; Pappalardo, 1986, pp.206-207, nos.1-4). -
Historic Roman Cut and Polished Roman Imperial Purple Porphyry Section
Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
Comprising a triangular piece, cut and polished on several sides, probably recycled material mined in ancient Roman times between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D.; mounted on a custom-made metal display stand. 5.97 kg total, 38 cm including stand
Acquired on the UK art market since the 1990s. From the private collection of a Somerset gentleman.
Mons Porphyrites (today Jabal Abu Dukhkhan) is the mountainous site of a group of ancient quarries in the Red Sea Hills of the inhospitable eastern desert in Egypt, a five-day trip from the Nile during Roman times. They were discovered by Caius Cominus Leugas in 18 A.D., and during the Roman Empire, the mines officially belonged to the emperor and were the only known source of the Imperial Porphyry, Mons Porphyrites. This dark purple stone was associated with royalty and used for prestigious sculpture and architecture. The location of the mines was lost sometime in the 5th century and rediscovered in the early 19th century. Excavations in the area have revealed the well-preserved quarries and the dwelling places of the quarrymen, and also thousands of ostraca have been discovered containing messages that provide details of how the quarrying took place, and of how the highly skilled quarrymen ordered their food. -
Roman Bronze and Lapis Bird Finial and Bead Group
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Comprising: a pin finial formed as a bird with a long neck; a finial formed as a swan's head; a small lapis lazuli bead formed as a dove, pierced through the body. 11.1 grams total, 11-38 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
