Loading, please wait...
LOT 0633
Roman 'Thames' Bronze Phallic Seal Box and Pendant Group
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/8 - 15/8 in. (10.6 grams total, 29-41 mm).
The seal box with remains of articulate hinge, raised phallus to top face with red enamelled detail; exaggerated stylised penis pendant with fragment of suspension loop remaining. [2, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound Billingsgate spoil from the Thames foreshore, London, UK.
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.
LOT 0633
Roman 'Thames' Bronze Phallic Seal Box and Pendant Group
Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
-
Large Roman Terracotta Amphora
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
The body capsule-shaped with a cylindrical neck, inverted rim and rounded base, two D-section handles; accompanied by a display stand. 9.75 kg total, 98 cm high including stand
Acquired 1970s onwards. Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK. Ex private collection of Benjamin Hyde-Smith, Hertfordshire, UK. -
Roman Rock Crystal Tortoise Amulet
1st-4th century A.D. or laterEstimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
Polished and carved in the round with simple stylised detailing; drilled for suspension. 5.38 grams, 23 mm
with a London, UK gallery, 1971-early 2000s. -
Roman Marble Head of Dionysus
Circa 2nd century A.D.Estimate: £30,000 - 40,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £15,000
A Roman copy of a Greek original, wearing a crown of leaves and corymbs, hair falling in straight lines underneath the diadem; full beard composed of four rows of thick tufts with drilled holes; slightly open mouth with a fleshy lower lip; low cheekbones and hollow cheeks; large almond-shaped eyes with lachrymal duct; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 15.8 kg total, 48 cm high including stand
Ex private French collection, early 1960s. Acquired by the current owner in 2011. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Marina Mattei and Dr Laura Maria Vigna. Accompanied by a copy of a French cultural passport no.129940. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11791-206395
The head finds comparable parallels with a series of herms representing philosophers, lyricists and the god Hermes, deriving from Greek originals of the 5th century B.C. The reworking of these typologies in a cultured environment is due to the diffusion of sculptures linked to the idea of speculative otium and withdrawal into the bucolic world of which Dionysus was guardian and protector. The typology of the representation associates him with the concept of continuous rebirth and fertility of nature, typical of Dionysus Lenaeus.
