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LOT 0729
Romano-Egyptian Limestone 'Floral' Inlay Group
30 B.C.-323 A.D. OR EARLIER
1/4 - 3/4 in. (74 grams total, 8-19 mm).
Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. [61, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990.
FootnotesFlowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces.
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:
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Roman Bronze Eros Statuette
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Modelled in the round, nude, striding forwards with his wings spread, his right hand reaching out to grasp a bow (absent), and left hand extending to the rear; feather detailing to the wings, piled hairstyle. 76 grams, 76 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Roman Bronze Bird Weight
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Modelled in the round with slot to the underside. 5.7 grams, 19 mm wide
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Roman Bronze Peacock Statuette
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
With rounded body and small lateral wings, broad fanned tail with radiating lines and ring-and-dt motifs; mounted on a custom-made stand. 60.7 grams total, 75 mm including stand
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.
The peacock had a dual symbolism in the Graeco-Roman world. In the pagan world it was the symbol of the goddess Hera (Roman Juno) and represented her beauty and immortality. In the Roman-Christian world it became a symbol of the resurrection of Christ, owing to its yearly moult and regrowth of its spectacular feathers.
