Roman Terracotta Lamp with Griffin

With deep slender bow and domed knop to each end of the crossbar, D-shaped plate with spike to accept a third knop (absent), foot with chamfered sides and catch to reverse; pin and spring. 37 grams, 66.5 mm



From the private collection of John Fox, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK, antiquarian and archaeologist; his collection assembled in the 1950s-1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Ellipsoid-shaped with carinated hoop on both inner and outer side. 3.56 grams, 25.90 mm overall, 14.47 mm internal diameter (approximate size British F 1/2, USA 3, Europe 4.3, Japan 4)



with H.A.C.A.G., Basel, prior 1999. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

This ring, with a flat ellipsoid-shaped bezel, is related to type 2i of the Roman rings in Gallia, and they were usually considered as grave goods. Similar rings have often been found in Illyricum, Salonae, Zadar, Nin or Asseria.

Trapezoidal in plan base fragment with figures carved in the round: tree with bands of horizontal ribbing; left foot, ankle and calf of a male wearing open-toed sandal and military-style boot, the upper part decorated with the skin of a lion cub; body of a dog sitting at heel beside the tree. 13.9 kg, base: 30 cm long



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. 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.12578-232182. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The military boot cothurnus worn here by a hunter or a military commander, was widely used by commanders of the Roman army, and sometimes by actors playing military heroes. Officers wore splendid closed cothurni of various colours, like those realised in blue leather and worn by an officer represented on a fresco from Stabiae (D’Amato-Sumner, 2009, p.13).