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LOT 0756
Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Frontal Bust
2ND CENTURY A.D.
4 in. (63 grams, 10.2 cm).
With brown slip, loop handle to the rear, the discus with a facing bust of a young woman within a concentric circle border; maker's mark 'LCΛPΓ' within tabula ansata-shaped stamp.
ProvenanceAcquired on the European art market, 1980s.
English private collection.
See The Getty Museum, inv.no.83.AQ.377.205, for similar discus motif by a different maker in Bussière, J., Lindros Wohl, B., Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 2017, no.292, p.204, type Loeschcke VIII; Bussière form D II 1.
FootnotesThe discus decorations of these lamps are various: Diana, Dioscuri, Sol and Luna, Africa, Lares, and griffin; portraits of Domitian, Hadrian, male head, bust of a young man, bust of a young woman (our specimen), bust of a bearded old man, fisherman, and an aulete; scorpion, boar, and lion with crocodile; etc. They were an African production and not less than seven worskshops have been individuated: M N O V I V, M N O V I V S T (our case) , M N O V I V S T I , I V N I A L E X I, C C O R V R S , E X F N A / LV C C E I O R V M . Here we can add LCAPIT (Lucius Capito).
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AUCTIONS:
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Opening Bid: £50
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Roman Bronze Statuette Group
2nd century B.C-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Comprising: small figure pierced at the middle wit pellet detailing to face and body, legs spread; figure in active pose with slanting stripes across the body, possibly intended for Hercules; probably votives for deposition at a temple. 42 grams total, 30-47 mm
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Roman Silver Crossbow Brooch
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
Parcel-gilt crossbow brooch with onion-shaped knops to the ends of the headplate and medially along the top edge; deep trapezoidal-section bow with median gusset; D-section footplate with chamfered sides open to one edge; upper part of one face of the bow with niello-filled running scroll design, lower part of the other face with running guilloche; beaded wire collar at the end. 14.6 grams, 46 mm
Ex N.C. collection. Acquired on the Swiss art market in 2000. European private collection.
Crossbow fibulae of this type were worn by high officers and, if in gold, even emperors, from Constantine to Justinian, as symbols of military rank. These fibulae are an important element in the graves, for the classification of the category of the dead, as belonging to the militia (armed or not); many of them were in gold, or gilded silver, and decorated with an inscription.
