S O L D - November 2005

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #468381
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A rare light blue glass sprinkler vessel with moulded decoration to the body. The body was blown into a two-part mould which has created a pattern of concentric circles separated by raised dots, some of which are grouped in fours to look like berry clusters. The base is moulded with the same pattern. Mould-blown decorated glass was reserved (along with mosaic glass) for valuable contents and commanded a high price in antiquity. The manufacturing process would have been erratic and subject ... Click for details

S O L D - November 2005

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #464386
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A sizeable light green glass jug with elaborate handle. The thickly-blown pear shaped body rises into a flared disc rim, folded and depressed around the neck to form a collar. The back is mounted with a wavy glass handle attached in three places. Jugs such as this were probably used in a domestic context for pouring beverages or sauces during dining. The flared and up-turned rim would diminish the chances of spillage. Roman, 3rd or 4th Century AD Intact Size: 13.5 x 8.5 cms Ex. New Yor... Click for details

S O L D - December 2005

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre 1492: item #463559
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An attractive and aesthetically pleasing gold ring mounted with an amber cabochon bezel. Though constructed from thick gold, the shank and bezel is hollow. The use of amber was usually restricted to smaller works such as earrings or necklace-beads, it is unusual to see a piece mounted into the centre of a high quality ring with no additional decoration. The amber bezel is a very fine dark red/burgundy, and this particular piece would have been highly prized for its colour in antiquity. Amb... Click for details

S O L D - November 2005

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #455562
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A solid cast bronze figure in the form of a standing male lion on a rectangular integral base. The figure is depicted with a large powerful head and mane and his tail curled over his right haunch. Mesopotamia, late 2nd or early 1st Millennium BC. Intact except a chip from the base, heavily encrusted rather than eroded and would thus benefit from a good, professional clean! Plenty of detail and a good red metal surface underneath. Size: 3.6 x 3.1 cms Ex. London antiquities dealership, acquir... Click for details

Impressive Roman Mosaic Glass Eye Bead

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454503

This attractive little Roman glass bead was decorated with three eyes spaced around the sides. The eyes were formed from red and yellow glass over the blue glass bead. Slightly irregular shape, but pierced and quite wearable if desired -- it would make a nice centerpiece to a necklace of ancient beads if you weren't looking for something huge.

AGE: 1st-3rd century A.D. ... Click for details

Beautiful Roman Glass Sprinkler Jar

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454268

While this piece of glass doesn't have much in the way of iridescence, it does feature a beautiful base color of rich hunter green -- it glows like an emerald when held up to the light! Sprinkler jars were used in antiquity much as they are today; a pinched bottleneck prevents expensive liquids from running out too quickly, allowing the user to control the amount of liquid withdrawn. In the case of this bottle, the contents were almost certainly a precious oil. ... Click for details

Roman Coin: Faustina II, AR Denarius 145-161 A.D.

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454264

Faustina II was a remarkable woman connected to many of Rome's most famous emperors. She was the daughter of Antoninus Pius, the wife of Marcus Aurelius, the mother of Commodus and mother-in-law of Lucius Verus. To celebrate the birth of her first child with Marcus Aurelius, she was given the title Augusta, which technically made her superior in rank to her husband!

RIC 497, Sear5 #4702. The obverse features the ins... Click for details

Gorgeous Roman Glass Cosmetics Bottle

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454262

This is an excellent Roman glass jar in gorgeous shape. It has a few nice areas of iridescence and a choice swirled green appearance. It also features some nice pinched decorations around the body where the glass blower allowed the jar to partially dry, and then pinched ridges around the body.

Iridescence is an unintentional quality of some ancient glass objects that results in a gorgeous, multi-colored sheen when v... Click for details

Roman Coin: Emperor Hadrian AE As Indulgentia

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454251

Hadrian, who ruled from 117-138 AD, was the third emperor in a series of five known as the Five Good Emperors. Hadrian made a major change in policy from his predecessor, Trajan, and focused on defense and consolidation. He traveled more than any other Roman emperor in history, solidified British holdings by building Hadrian's Wall, focused on building projects and made great strides in integrating new provinces into the greater empire. ... Click for details

Roman Coin: Emperor Aurelian ae Antoninianus, 272 AD

Archives: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman Pre AD 1000: item #454250

Aurelian was born in Sirmium in 207 A.D. Although he came from a family of commoners, Aurelian rose in the military over the course of the reigns of several pervious emperors. Proclaimed emperor through military force around 270 A.D., he quickly solidified his position and leveraged his power into forcing the senate to legitimize his rule. Despite the military's reluctance to support him -- Aurelian was fiercely disciplined and demanding -- under his rule, the empire was restored to its largest ... Click for details