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LOT 0956
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3RD CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
5/8 - 3/4 in. (32 grams total, 15-20 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 Bronze Sleeping Dog Protome and Finial Group
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Comprising: a stylised dog head with conical neck, and an onion-knop finial with a collar below. 6.42 grams total, 12.7-14.4 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Roman Marble Head of a Wealthy Lady
1st century A.D.Estimate: £10,000 - 14,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5,000
Carved in the round with dressed hair and braided band with fanned closure above the brow; finely modelled facial detailing; mounted on a custom-made stand. 24.5 kg total, 41 cm including stand
From the collection of L.V. (1950-1960), Paris, France. Collection of Monsieur X. (1931-2017), dispersed for the benefit of the Monaco Red Cross. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.229089.
The portrait is of an idealised feminine head, probably modelled on an Aphrodite type, with the hair in a bun on the nape, adorned with circles and with a tuft knotted at the top of the forehead, re-used as a portrait of a Roman lady. Many statue types were used both for portraits of women of the imperial family and for the portraits of other women, some of them based on images of goddesses. -
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. 34 grams total, 13-19 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
The 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.
