Loading, please wait...
_900x900.jpg "Roman Terracotta Bust of a Boy")
_200x200.jpg "Roman Terracotta Bust of a Boy")
.jpg "Roman Terracotta Bust of a Boy")
LOT 0644
Roman Terracotta Bust of a Boy
1ST-CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
6 3/4 in. (341 grams, 17 cm high).
A terracotta bust of a boy mounted on an integral channeled plinth base, modelled with semi-naturalistic facial features and a cropped hairstyle, wearing a bulla and a sash over the left shoulder.
ProvenanceEx private German collection, 1960; thence by descent.
with Auktionshaus Owl, Bielefeld, Germany, 5 September 2015, Lot 40605.
Cf. Papantoniou, G., Michaelides, D., Dikomitou-Eliadou, M., Hellenistic and Roman Terracottas, Monumenta Graeca et Romana, Brill, Leiden-Boston, 2019, fig.R22661, p.93, for similar style.
FootnotesIn ancient Rome, the bulla was an amulet given to every boy nine days after his birth. The meaning, origins and use of the bulla are in some ways enigmatic and still a subject of research for scholars. The bulla was worn around the neck during childhood and adolescence. Depending on the social status and wealth of the family who commissioned it, different materials were used; on rare occasions it was made fully in gold, if the child belonged to a family of the high Roman aristocracy, or more commonly made in lead covered with a gold foil. The bulla was also made for the poorer classes in lesser materials, such as fabric or leather.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Roman Deer Brooch for Flaina
2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £845
A copper-alloy zoomorphic plate brooch, in the shape of a deer with two legs, a short tail and a complete antler, characterised by a series of transverse grooves, the body of the animal with the inscription 'FLAINA' in Latin letters; pin lugs and remains of ferrous pin to the reverse. 11.5 grams, 41 mm
Acquire in the 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
Roman fibulae came in a variety of shapes and embellishments. In the Roman Empire, the fibula was both functional and decorative, as men and women wore it to fasten their aprons and cloaks. A similar function was performed by pins intended to hold heavy garments such as cloaks. This type of fibulae were probably produced in Pannonia, from where they were exported around the Empire. Another centre of production of deer fIbulae was probably Roman Britannia. -
Roman Key Ring Group
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
A trio of bronze key rings with rectangular bits, including an openwork example. 13.9 grams total, 19-23 mm
Acquired in the 1970s. Important European collection. -
Roman and Later Artefact Group
2nd century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £33
A mixed group comprising: a bone dolphin with slot to the raised; the tip of a bronze hair-pin; and two later glass beads. 11.56 grams total, 12-38 mm
Acquired in the late 1990s-2000. Property of an East London gentleman.
