Loading, please wait...
LOT 0626
Roman Terracotta Frieze Fragment with Bird
3RD CENTURY A.D.
5 in. (643 grams, 12.5 cm).
Showing the figure of a bird enclosed inside a medallion, with edges decorated with a foliage, moulded grooves in the upper part, remains of red pigment on the dividing space. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired from Millon Arts D'Orient, with lot sticker.
Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.
Cf. Gabucci, A. (Ed.), Zenobia,il sogno di una regina d'oriente, Milano, 2002, fig.91, for similar tondo with friezes.
FootnotesThe motif of a bird enclosed in a roundel draws inspiration from Parthian and Sassanid art, and decorated the ceilings of Roman Hellenistic tombs and temples of the Roman East. Our fragment could have been part of the polychrome stucco decoration of the ceiling of a tomb, or a square insert in a temple building. It certainly had to be painted in showy colours, of which clear traces remain in the amaranth red on the right of the fragment and in the pink and blue traces visible on the bird.
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 Redware Sherd with Venator Gladiator
4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
The fighting venator dressed in a long sleeved tunic embroidered with orbiculi and pectorarin, segmenta on the sleeves, brandishing a javelin of venabulum type; suspension loop to the reverse. 18 grams, 70 mm
Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.
The combat scene is likely a reference to the gladiatorial fights between men and animals; such games in the arena were a principal form of entertainment through the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Both men and women would partake in such fights. The venatores (hunters) were the most specialised in this field, fighting with a spear with winged blades and long knives (culter venatorius). -
Roman Bronze Recumbent Deer Statuette
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Modelled in the round with naturalistic detailing, held held upwards. 16.5 grams, 30 mm
‘The Ancient Menagerie Collection’ formerly the property of a Cambridgeshire lady, collected since the 1990s and acquired from auctions and dealers throughout Europe and the USA, now ex London collection. -
Romano-British Bow Brooch Collection
Circa 1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Comprising: a large fly, together with a number decorated with simple geometric ornament; pins absent. 85 grams total, 37-74 mm
Found Norfolk, Essex, and Wiltshire, UK. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.
