Roman Translucent Glass Bowl

With drum-shaped bowl and thick rim developing to a short handle with pierced lobe finial; stamped to the upper face of the handle with maker's name '[.]OIYBI'; to the underside of the base, pointillé legend 'LICINI[...]V'. 242 grams, 19.5 cm



Acquired from Munich and London, 1990s. From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman. 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 a search certificate number no.12064-217904.

The owner of the patera seems to be a certain Licinius. In contrast to more elaborate counterparts, paterae such as this were likely carried as part of the standard kit of Roman soldiers, used as a general cooking and eating utensil.

Rectangular with two supporting bars to the underside, extended loop above; enigmatic (Greek) letters to all faces. 63.7 grams, 33 mm



with Hotel des Ventes, Drouot, Paris, France. From the collection of Mr H. Naudy, Paris, France. Acquired at between 2004-2010. Property of a French collector.

This small counter-weight bears letters indicating numbers: on one of the short sides Α (1), Δ (4), Χ (600); on the other short side they worn and difficult to read; and on one of the longer sides Υ (400), φ (500). The other letters are challenging to read, but the object would have been used as unit of measure. Another possibility is that it belonged to a statuette of a man holding a codex ansatus (box with a handle for carrying writing tablets).

Each with a trapezoidal frame and openwork design: one a coiled triskele, the other a lozenge with cruciform spurs; from a military belt. 13.2 grams total, 28-35 mm



Property of the vendor's grandfather, thence by family descent, circa 1985. From the private collection of a New York, USA gentleman