Roman Terracotta Piriform Storage Vessel

Hollow-formed with forefinger extended and bent, thumb in gripping position and other fingers curled around; mounted on a custom-made stand; thumb and forefinger restored. 4.65 kg total, 34 cm (47.5 cm high including stand)



Ex Frits Philips, Eindhoven, Netherlands, before 1980. European private collection, 1980s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12056-213654.

Irregular mosaic fragment of beige, cream and grey tesserae with radiating trumpet-shaped swirls; mounted in a modern rectangular matrix. 33 kg, 76 cm high



Found Gloucestershire, UK. From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

A mosaic found in Cirenchester (insula IX, Chester Street) shows panels defined by a dark blue-grey single fillet with an additional double fillet parallel to it on a longer axis, having an overall scheme of running pelta-pattern. Each pelta is outlined in dark-blue grey and infilled with red, white and dark blue grey at the centre.

With broad ellipsoid hoop and conical shoulders, squat disc bezel. 4.71 grams, 22.35 mm overall, 16.15 mm internal diameter (approximate size British F, USA 2 3/4, Europe 3.67, Japan 3)



Private collection of Mr S.A., Switzerland, 1990s, thence by descent.