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LOT 0994
Roman to Medieval Bronze Ring Group
1ST-16TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 - 1 in. (63.1 grams total, 20-24 mm).
Comprising twelve rings, most with a decorative bezel. [12]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
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AUCTIONS:
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Roman Black Glass Bead Necklace String
1st-4th century A.D. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £65
Restrung designer necklace string of tubular, oblate and other types with rectangular tabular pendant centrepiece. 17.8 grams, 39.5 cm
London, UK, collection, 2000s. -
Roman Glass Flask
4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £304
With squat bulbous body and broad shoulder, tapering neck with flared rim, dimpled base. 81 grams, 15.5 cm
From an important London collection of glass, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This kind of bottles are common in the Eastern Empire workshops of the Levant. Similar vessels, with faint ribs, have been excavated in the necropolises of Beit Ras, Jordan, and Samaria-Sebaste, Israel. -
Roman Bronze Winged Eros
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13,000
Modelled in the round in kneeling pose, nude, with the fingers of his left hand spread across his bent knee, head turned to the right and slightly tilted upwards; two large dorsal wings spread; the face fleshy with small eyes and nose, the hair with a wreath of curls framing the face; attachment panel behind the shoulders; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.38 kg total, 19 cm wide
Ex F. Philips, Netherlands, before 1980s. with Jan Roelofs Antiquaries, Netherlands. Acquired on the European art market, 2023. Private collection, London. Accompanied by an academic report by Prof. Neritan Ceka. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12930-245218.
The image of the winged Eros held a special significance in Roman culture, embodying not only the god of love but also the elegance, refinement, and sophistication of the Classical tradition. His wings symbolised the fleeting nature of passion, while his youthful form carried connotations of vitality and beauty. To incorporate Eros into the decoration of luxury objects was to invoke divine favour and to align oneself with the cultivated ideals of the Graeco-Roman world. Bronzes of the 1st century A.D. represent the height of Roman metalworking, when elite households and sanctuaries commissioned works of remarkable artistry. Fittings such as this, finely cast and intended for a prestigious vessel, were both functional and symbolic: practical elements elevated to expressions of status and taste. Surviving examples are a testament to the technical mastery of Roman workshops and the desire of their patrons to surround themselves with imagery of the gods in even the smallest details of daily life.
