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LOT 0188
'The Earl of St. Vincent's' Marble Capital from the Provincia Phoenicia
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.
27 1/2 in. (approximately 400+ kg, 70 cm wide).
White marble capital of Ionic order, with slightly curved abacus, supporting the visible traces of the epistyle, and shallow volutes; in the lower part, between the volutes, the foliate base showing an egg-and-dart decoration on the cymation, supported by two further concentric ornamented strips (astragals), again decorated by shallow egg-shaped forms; three of the four volutes preserved, one of them with three holes for the fixing of the metal fastening staples; over the reversed part of the abacus, a bronze plate with an inscription: 'A white marble capital from the top of a Phoenician Column brought in England in 1733 by Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis 1st Earl of St.Vincent GCB, PC. The Phoenicians were a very early trading nation. Origins 2300-1200 BC. High point 1200-800 BC.' [No Reserve]
ProvenanceBrought to England in 1788 by Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, GCB, PC.
From the private collection of Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, Rochetts, South Weald, Essex, UK.
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.13411-259626.
Cf. similar capitals from Phoenicia and Levant in Mendel, G., Catalogue des sculptures grecques, romaines et byzantines, Constantinople, 1914, nos.1197-1198, vol.III, pp.438-439; Skeels, F. and Skeels L., A comprehensive guide, Highways and byways of Lebanon, Beirut, 2000, pp.205 (ionic capitals of the Roman temple of Hardine), 238 (ionic capitals of the Roman temple at Bziza).
FootnotesThe features of this capital are consistent with a particular type of Ionic style, which seems to have characterised the temples of Roman Phoenicia under Hadrian; the capital decoration is very similar to the capitals of the temple of Mercury, Hardine, and to the Roman temple at Bziza.
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LOT 0188
'The Earl of St. Vincent's' Marble Capital from the Provincia Phoenicia
Estimate £2,000 - 3,000€2,320 - 3,480 (for guidance only)$2,700 - 4,050 (for guidance only)
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Roman and Other Black Glass Bead Necklace String
1st-4th century A.D. and laterEstimate: £50 - 70 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Composed of oblate, annular, barrel-shaped, and other beads with a discoid pendant bead, restrung. 9.75 grams, 33 cm
Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. -
Jewish Bronze Ring with Menorah
Circa 4th century A.D.Estimate: £120 - 170 (‡+bp*)
Bids: 1 | Current Bid: £70
Narrow facetted hoop and disc bezel with incuse menorah and legend below. 4.04 grams, 23.03 mm overall, 19.56 x 17.92 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)
Private collection of Kal Noselson, New York, acquired between 1976 and the late 1990s; thence by descent. -
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. 34.2 grams total, 15-23 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
The term 'tessera' was used in Roman times to convey the Greek term σύμβολον (token). Small tiles are known as tokens, often shaped like coins, made of metal (copper, lead, iron), clay, bone, wood, or glass, stamped as well as engraved. The tokens, however, are not exclusively coin-shaped, as the Latin term 'tessera' suggests by etymologically referring to a square or at least a four-sided shape and confirmed in several cases by material remains of the past. Tokens and tesserae seem to have been used both in Athens and Rome for the distribution of goods. According to written sources, the term token is identified with credentials of the official authorities. They have also been interpreted as tokens of identity, as entrance tickets to theatre performances, tribunals or assemblies of citizens, archival material of seal engraving, as pawns in games, Charon’s obols and even as amulets.
